Operation Overdrive: Secrets and Lies
by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx
Summary: Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.
1. Kick Into Overdrive, Part I

**Author's Note:** Welcome to my Operation Overdrive rewrite. This season we welcome a new ranger to the Lightning Sister Saga.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

**Warning:** Before you go any further, I suggest you read the stories that come before this rewrite, or else some references and storylines may confuse you. Thanks.

**Lightning Storm! Ranger Form! - Prehistoric Storm - Against All Odds.**

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

A young woman jogged through the garden. She had tied her hair back into a high ponytail and was clad in white running shorts and a black t-shirt, loud music echoed from her ear buds, and she seemed oblivious to the rest of the world around her.

She turned a corner and spotted her eighteen-year-old cousin lying in his hammock, he was fast asleep, his book resting on his chest. He was kicking around relentlessly, obviously dreaming. The young woman rolled her eyes and jogged closer, she knew of her cousin's tendency to dream of fast-pacing adventures and usually ended up hurting himself in the process.

Picking up the book from the teenager's chest, the young woman tossed it aside after reading the title. 'The Baron's Betrayal.' What a surprise.

Suddenly the teenager, who was also known as Mack, turned sharply in his sleep and rolled out of the hammock and landed face first in the grass. The young woman smothered her laughter, but couldn't help the amused grin that appeared on her face.

"Oh, crap," groaned Mack, pushing himself up onto his hands. He spluttered, spitting pieces of grass from his mouth, and rubbing soil from his face.

"What were you reading this time?" asked a thick English accent.

Mack gave a start and looked up to see Spencer making his way towards him with two glasses of lemonade on a tray.

"Nothing," said Mack. "Just shifted to fast."

"He was reading the Baron's Betrayal," the young woman answered, startling Mack who hadn't even realized she was there.

Mack spun around and glared at her.

"Ah, yes, the Baron's Betrayal," said Spencer. "A classic up there with Dickens himself, no doubt. Lemonade?"

The young woman smiled and took a glass from the tray that had been extended to her. She sipped the cool and refreshing liquid.

"Reading adventure books seems to be a dangerous endeavor for you, young sir," said Spencer as Mack took a large gulp of his lemonade, choked and spat it back out in an instant. "You'd prefer it sweetened, sir?"

"I would." Mack nodded, putting the glass back on the table. "Spencer, any word from Dad? Why can't I ever go with him on any of his archaeological adventures?"

"Perhaps when you've mastered the hammock," teased the young woman.

Again, Mack turned to glare at her. "Don't you have some innocent kid to terrorize?" he asked.

"Yeah, his name would be Mack," she snapped. "And he's standing right in front of me."

Spencer sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Since his boss, Andrew Hartford, had returned three weeks ago with a young woman, she and Mack had done nothing but snap at one another. It was clear that Mack didn't approve of the newcomer, one who his father claimed to be his cousin, although he had no memories of her, and the young woman didn't want to be in San Angeles any more than she wanted to believe that Andrew and Mack was a part of her family.

Again, she, just like Mack, had no memories of them, but yet she couldn't deny that there was some truth behind Andrew's claims. His parents, Mary and James Hartford were her grandparents, they were her mother's parents, but they had died long before she was born.

"I'd give anything to be with him on his adventures right now," said Mack, choosing to take the high road and ignore his newfound cousin. "Digging through ruins, looking for the crowd of the gods - The Corona Aurora."

The young woman, also known as Aliyah Logan, or Ali to her close friends and family, rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Ah, yes, The Corona Aurora." Spencer repeated, almost mockingly. "Your father has spent 10 years and twice the net worth of New Mexico looking for something that, quite frankly, doesn't exist."

_~*Six Months Later*~_

"Anyone have a clue why we're here?" a small girl, around the age of eighteen, asked as she walked around the large study/playroom that she and three others found themselves standing in. They had each been contacted by a man called Andrew Hartford and asked to meet with him at his home in San Angeles, but they were there, and he was over an hour late. Within the time span of his delay, the group had taken the liberty of getting to know one another's names.

The girl who had spoken was called Rose Oritiz. She was a Mensa level genius with an encyclopedic knowledge that could rival that of Cam Watanabe. No more than a few hours ago, Rose had been in London, saving her University professors and class-mates from the robotic laser arm she had created.

"Nope," shrugged a dirty-blonde female. Her name was Ronny Robinson, the top race car driver of worldwide fame. She had just won another championship in Italy when Mr. Hartford had contacted her and asked her to come to his house, he had said was urgent and that he would explain everything when he saw her in person. "That Hartford guy said he'd explain everything when he saw me."

"Same here," nodded a spiky-haired man in blue. His name was Dax Lo, an absolute highly skilled film stuntman.

"This Hartford guy must be some wacky gazillonaire," said the last member of their group. His name was Will Aston, a suave and cocky spy-for-hire. "He had me break in to his own bank in Brazil."

Rose turned and stared at Will. He smirked and nodded, wondering slightly if she was going to challenge him on whether or not he was lying.

"Gazillonaire? Possibly!" repeated a voice from the door. The group of four outsiders turned to see a female, around the age of 21, leaning against the frame, her arms folded across her stomach and her hair tied in a high ponytail. "Wacky? That's a definite."

"Who are you?" Will asked, surprised to see her.

The female snapped her attention to him.

"I could ask you the same question," she said.

"Hey," smiled Ronny, walking forward and holding out her hand. "I'm Ronny. Ronny Robinson."

The female smirked and shook Ronny's hand.

"Aliyah," she answered, her eyes flickering at Will. "Aliyah Logan. You're here to see my alleged uncle, right?"

"Wait, your uncle?" Rose asked.

Aliyah nodded. "Supposedly," she said. "He's got all the birth records that prove he is blood related to me, he even did a DNA test as I told him documents could be forged. It came back that we had 99% probability."

"Basically it said you were related," said Rose.

"Yeah. But I have no memory of him," said Aliyah. "He's a total stranger to me."

"What's going on in here?" Mack asked as he entered the room. He was carrying his adventure book in his hands and only looked up from it when he had heard Aliyah talking to someone, at first he wasn't going to tease her about talking to herself, but had stopped when he had heard another voice respond, one that was not Aliyah's.

Ronny looked from Aliyah to Mack and smiled. "Join the party," she said. "We got a message from that Hartford guy, just like you."

"What message?" Mack asked.

"Ronny, meet Mack," said Aliyah. "My cousin and Hartford's son."

"Oh," said Ronny, realizing her mistake. "My bad."

Aliyah waved her off, just as the doors to her uncle's study opened on the otherside of the room and Andrew and Spencer walked out.

"Welcome everyone," said Andrew.

"What's going on, Dad?" Mack asked, earning his father's attention.

Andrew hesitated as he noticed his niece and son lingering in the doorway. He smiled at his guests and walked towards them, forcing them from the room. "I'm having an important meeting. We'll have to talk later." He said.

"But, Dad, what are - who are these peo -" Mack cut off as his father closed the door on him and Aliyah.

Aliyah scoffed and shook her head. "Whatever," she said, walking off down the hall towards the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" Mack asked. He had followed after her and was surprised to find her crouching on the floor next to an air vent.

"Shh!" Aliyah hissed, pressing her finger to her mouth. "Do you want your father to know you're eavesdropping?"

Mack scowled at her, but didn't retort. Instead he watched as Aliyah loosened the vents outside panel and opened it slightly more so that they could hear what was going on behind the wall.

"I'm Andrew Hartford. I'm glad you all decided to accept my invitation. Before we get started, can I interest anyone in some lemonade? Spencer?"

"Oh, thank you, sir, but i'm quite fine." Spencer replied.

Aliyah had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"For _them_, Spencer." Andrew said.

"Oh."

"I am sure you all have many questions," continued Andrew. "And I promise you I will answer every one. But first I need your help, because without you, without your talents, without your intelligence, our world, our _universe_ is going to be destroyed."

On the otherside of the vent, Aliyah, Mack and Spencer, who had joined them after departing the room to get lemonade, exchanged looks.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After much confusion from his guests, Andrew turned on the TV News report he had recorded of an attack from Lava Lizards and Chillers from the downtown area of San Angeles. He had hoped that it would help Ronny, Dax, Rose and Will to change their minds and accept his proposal to help save the world.

"That was three days ago," he said. "Evil has arrived on Earth."

"And all this, um, _supposedly_ because you found some crown?" Ronny asked.

"Not just a crown - The Corona Aurora, which, according to legend, has powers, not just over _this_ planet but the _universe_." Andrew explained. "Millennia ago, in a galaxy on the other side of the universe, there were two brothers - Moltor -"

"And Flurious," interrupted Rose. "Who tried to steal the Corona Aurora. But the crown was so powerful; it cursed them, changed their appearance and sent them off to distant planets, imprisoning them in their own elements." She paused and looked around as she realized everyone was staring at her. "What? I took a year of 'Ancient Universal Legends' at Harvard. Anyway, it's just a myth."

"There's more." Andrew added, quickly. "In order to stop anyone from getting the power again, the guardian took the five jewels from the crown and scattered them on a distant, uninhabited planet. That planet, those many Millennia ago, was Earth."

"Now this -" said Dax, energetically. "_This_ would make a great movie. I know this guy who knows the sister of a cousin of _Spielberg's_ limo driver's aunt. I bet I could play you." He added, pointing to Hartford.

Hastily, Andrew rushed to the vent behind him.

"Spencer!" he called, his voice echoing.

Aliyah and Mack, who had been leaning in closer, than expected, cringed as Andrew's voice screamed down their ears.

"Coming, sir!" Spencer called back, deafening the pair in the other ear.

"Dude!" Aliyah complained, leaning back and rubbing both her ears. "That was so not cool!"

"I accidentally freed Moltor and Flurious." Andrew explained, turning back to his guests. "From their imprisonment, and now, thanks to me, they and who knows how many other power-crazed beasts are here - or soon will be - looking for the crown."

Spencer returned carrying a tray of Lemonade. He offered it to the group of four, but they declined it politely. Andrew, on the other hands, and made a mad dash for his vault in hopes that if he could show them the crown it would prove he was not lying.

"Gee, it's getting late," said Ronny. "And i'm sure there's an engine overhaul waiting for me. I'm gonna go."

"Wait," called Hartford, turning back to them. He clutched the crown in his hands. "Everything I told you is true. I need your help. We need to protect this from falling into the wrong hands."

"You're rich. By an army." Rose said.

"An _army_ can't stop them," said Andrew. "But _you_ can."

On the otherside of the wall, Aliyah groaned. "Oh boy," she muttered, resting her head on the wall above the vent. "Here it comes..."

"Here comes what?" Mack asked, confused.

"The whole 'I can turn you into Power Rangers' speech." Aliyah said.

Mack frowned, as he heard his father repeated Aliyah's exact words. "How did you know that?" he asked, as Dax exploded with excitement at the idea of being a Power Ranger.

"Have you been living in a box or something?" Aliyah asked. "Since 1993 evil has been showing up in different cities all along the California coast, and every year a new team of Power Rangers has been formed in order to fight it. Why should here be any different?"

"You seem to know quite a bit about this Ranger deal," said Mack.

"More than you think," muttered Aliyah.

Mack's eyes glittered with excitement. "Tell me more," he said.

"Are you kidding me?" Aliyah asked. "Are you seriously telling me that you don't know anything about the Power Rangers?"

"Yep," said Mack with a bob of his head.

"Wow, you really _have_ lived a sheltered life."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Far beneath the Hartford Manor, the new Ranger recruits found themselves wearing all new black uniforms, each one trimmed with their respective Ranger colour.

"Team, thank you for accepting my offer." Andrew said, walking around the giant globe to face them. "The uniforms look good on you. As we speak, your bodies' physical and mental capabilities are being enhanced by a DNA re-sequencer - a Hartford industries design. As your body adapts you'll soon be able to do and know things that only a moment ago were thought impossible."

"Are we going to turn into a weird fly or something?" Dax asked.

"Not a chance." Andrew chuckled. "This is totally harmless. But you are now stronger and smarter than when you first arrived."

The re-sequencer turned off and the four new Rangers walked away, each wondering when exactly they'd feel the effects of their scrambled DNA.

"Welcome to your new base," said Andrew. "One thing you should know about me is that I would never ask you to do anything that I wouldn't do myself."

"Except get his genes re-scrambled," said Aliyah, as she stepped out of the lift. Mack followed her, looking around excitedly.

Andrew looked startled.

"Mack, Aliyah, you need to go home," he told them.

"We are home." Mack replied. "Technically, we're several hundred feet _below_ our home."

"You said I couldn't go home," said Aliyah. "Now you _want_ me to go home?"

Andrew sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You know what I mean, Aliyah," he said, trying to keep his temper. Rebecca had been right when she had told him Aliyah would test his patience, she was definitely her father's child.

"What's the big deal?" Aliyah asked. "So we see your Ranger base, and meet the new team of Power Rangers, it's not like it's gonna bring about the end of the world." She paused and looked over the team of four. "You're missing a colour. Where is the red Ranger? You can't have a Ranger team without red."

"He's about to join them," said Andrew. "I'm the red Ranger."

Aliyah looked from the team to her uncle, and then back again. "This reminds me too much of the Dino Rangers," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Aliyah, please," said Andrew. "Can you and Mack just go back upstairs? I'll explain everything to you later."

"How about you explain it to us now?" Aliyah asked.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"I knew something was going on." Mack gushed after his father had explained the whole story and situation to him and Aliyah - the former was more excited than the latter. "Ever since you got back from your trip, you've been working 24-7. I never see you anymore."

"I know. I know. I-I..." Andrew sighed.

"You messed up big-time," said Mack. "I understand."

"Oh, he messed up alright," said Aliyah. "He messed up so bad that he unleashed evil into the world. He's put hundreds of thousands of lives in danger, all for some stupid and pointless artifact."

"Stupid and pointless - I've spent my whole life looking for the crown," said Andrew. "I didn't know that it would unleash terror on the world."

"You never do." Aliyah argued. "Humans never learn from their mistakes. 1993 two astronauts discover an extraterrestrial container on the moon and breach the unit, releasing the evil sorceress Rita Repulsa from 10,000 years of confinement, she tried to overthrow Earth and the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers were born. In the year 2000, demons are released from their tomb in the desert, and they threaten to conquer Mariner Bay - Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue comes into play. In 2004, Ethan James, blue Dino Ranger, messes with Tutenhawken's tomb, effectively cursing himself, a civilian, and putting the whole of Reefside and the world in danger, the same year, human interference sees the return of Lothor, a rogue Ninja who, only the year before, tried to eliminate all Ninja Academies and take over the world using dark Ninja powers. And now, human interference sees the return of the powerful Corona Aurora, bringing with it unseen evil and powers. When are humans ever going to learn that something's, especially powerful relics, do not belong to them?"

"You're mad at me for unleashing evil..." said Andrew.

"I'm mad at you for not being able to contain your curiosity!" Aliyah snapped. "It's because of you that people are danger. It is because of you that Ronny, Dax, Will and Rose have to put their lives on hold, in order to fight on the front line against mutant creatures that can easily destroy them."

Andrew stared hard at his niece, and was very surprised to find that she was holding back tears. "Aliyah..." he sighed.

"It's because of people like you that people cannot have normal lives," said Aliyah, sadly. "_I_ can't have a normal life."

"Why can't you?" Andrew asked.

"You really think your newbie Rangers can take on these new threats?" Aliyah asked. "Don't lie to me, Andrew; this is why I am here, isn't it? To become a part of a new ranger team. It's why you've been in contact with Rebecca for the last year. What I don't understand is why she's passed legal guardianship - and I mean that in the literal sense - of me over to you. She should still be the head guardian, despite being in different countries."

"You're not here to be a Power Ranger, Aliyah," said Andrew. "You're here to hide away from evil."

"You mean the evil you brought directly onto our doorstep?" Aliyah asked.

Andrew sighed as he realized he had, involuntarily, put her in danger without really meaning too.

Mack stared, wide-eyed between his father and cousin. He was slowly taking his father's lack of an answer as a yes. "Hey, wait a minute," he interrupted. "If Aliyah's gonna be a Power Ranger then I wanna be one too," he said. "It's only fair. Why should she get to have all the fun?"

"Absolutely not," said Andrew, shaking his head at Mack. "Aliyah has the experience of being a Ranger, you do not."

"Dad," sighed Mack. "I know I can help. Just give me a chance."

"Mack, it's not gonna happen." Andrew said, shaking his head. "Even if I did think of offering Aliyah a position on the team, I can't offer one to you."

"Why not?"

"Because Aliyah's decision to join would be her choice," said Andrew. "I have no control over her, I do you."

"Technically he is eighteen," interrupted Aliyah. "He's his own person. He can make his own choices. And besides you don't need to be a Power Ranger in order to fight. You can protect the world without the cover of spandex."

Andrew growled at her.

Aliyah folded her arms over her stomach and glared at her uncle, just then Spencer burst into the room, and he looked out of breath and appeared to be sweating.

"Sir!" the butler cried.

"Spencer, we're talking." Andrew said.

"Actually, you're lecturing," muttered Aliyah, well-aware that she was driving Andrew up the wall. But she didn't care.

"Sir!" Spencer puffed.

"Spencer!" Andrew sighed.

"Sir," huffed Spencer. "Big Lizards are attacking your house guests, sir."

Andrew's eyes widened. "Lava Lizards," he whispered. "Spencer, you get the team. I'll get the crown. Mack, Ali, you're both to stay inside where it's safe."

Aliyah shook her head as Andrew run from the room. She pushed herself off of the pool table and walked towards the doors, pausing and turning back to Mack. "Well, are you coming?" she asked.

"Dad said to stay inside," said Mack.

"And, I suppose, if your dad told you to go jump of a bridge, you would?" Aliyah asked, rolling her eyes. "Fine. You be daddy's little angel and stay inside, i'm going to help anyway I can."

She walked out, leaving Mack to consider her words. He wanted to help, but he couldn't do that from inside the mansion.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Spencer turned to the sound of running footsteps.

"Mr. Hartford told you to stay in the house where it's safe," he said to Aliyah as he grabbed her arm before she could run straight past him; he did the same to Mack as he appeared on his other side. "Do you ever listen?"

"It's not in my nature to just stay behind," said Aliyah. "I'm a fighter. Good and simple."

"Yeah, and I'm tired of being safe," said Mack. "I'm helping."

"You'll do nothing of the kind." Spencer scolded. He was really surprised with Aliyah's behavior, she was older than Mack, and therefore should have set a better example. "Rangers!" he called to the new team. "We need to leave right away," he added as they re-grouped. "You three," he pointed at Dax, Ronny and Will, "you'll ride by yourselves. You'll find the vehicles in the garage."

The three nodded and run off.

"Rose, you come with me." Spencer added to the genius. She nodded and headed to the 4x4 sitting in the drive.

"I'm going with Rose," said Aliyah, not feeling the need to be around any bikes. Dino Thunder was the only time that she had to be around a bike, and she had been terrified of it them, having needed Hayley to pre-coordinate the bike without her having to physically drive it.

"I'm going to the garage," said Mack, trying to follow Ronny, Dax and Will.

"_You're_ coming with me, too," said Spencer, pulling him back by the scruff of his neck. Mack sighed and followed Rose and Aliyah towards the 4x4. He climbed into the seat beside Rose, and behind Spencer, while Aliyah sat behind them on her own.

Mack grinned at the newest pink Ranger. "You guys were awesome," he gushed. "You were really giving it to them."

Aliyah rolled her eyes as she listened to the conversation going on ahead of her.

"I'm not exactly sure who was giving what to whom," said Rose. "But thanks. Mr. Hartford, apologies again for doubting your story."

"No worries, Rose," said Andrew.

"No worries?" Aliyah repeated. "In the Ranger world, that'll be the day."

"Unfortunately, she is right, sir," said Spencer, spotting trouble ahead.

Aliyah looked over the edge of the 4x4 and spotted a group of frozen foot soldiers. "See what I mean about curiosity being a bad thing!" she yelled to the front of the car. "Bet you didn't think of this when you found that stupid crown!"

"The Lizards are behind us," said Will, as he, Ronny and Dax regrouped with the car. Rose jumped down from the back of the truck and looked up at Hartford as he held up a container box. "Who are these guys?"

"I don't think they're the welcoming committee," said Mack.

"We're going to the big time," said Andrew, opening the container and revealing tracker-morphers to the new team. "These are you Overdrive trackers. These are what will morph you into Power Rangers. 'Overdrive Accelerate' is the activation code."

Will smirked as he turned his morpher over in his hands.

"Let's do it." Andrew nodded, holding onto his own morpher.

The others nodded and raced off, but Andrew held back as Mack protested about being safeguarded again.

"Mack, I -" he broke off as the rest of his team morphed without him. "Mack, I have to join my team. The answers no. Do you hear me?"

"I'll keep an eye on him, sir," said Spencer.

"_Them_, Spencer." Andrew said, staring down at Aliyah. He knew she'd want to help, but it was not her place anymore. She wasn't a Ranger, she had no special powers, and he couldn't afford to put her life in danger any more than it already was.

"Of course, sir," said Spencer. "I'll watch them both."

Aliyah rolled her eyes and muttered something about 'not making promises that you couldn't keep.'

Andrew nodded and jumped from the car. He prepared to morph, but failed in doing so as Lava Lizards surrounded him and grabbed his wrists. He dropped the morpher and was pulled forward, away from it.

"Dad!" Mack shouted, desperately.

"Should have seen that one coming," said Aliyah, jumping over the side of the car. She swiped up the red Overdrive Morpher, and easily fended off a Lava Lizard. "Mack, catch!" she shouted, throwing the morpher at her cousin, as several more Lava Lizards jumped at her.

Mack caught the morpher and dived out of the 4x4.

Breathing heavily, Mack spun the morpher in his hand, and swung it around so it rested on his right shoulder. "Overdrive," he called out, running the dial down the length of his arm. "Accelerate!"

There was a burst of power and Mack transformed into the red Overdrive Ranger.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After delivering the final blow to the Lava Lizards she had been fighting, Aliyah looked around to see Andrew lying sprawled on the ground, and Moltor standing over him.

"Hey!" she shouted, racing towards him. She jumped over Andrew and landed a well-aimed kick to the chest of the giant lizard. "Why don't you pick on someone with a lot more fight in 'em, you overgrown lava lizard!"

Moltor laughed and tried to blast her, but a streak of white lightning hit him, knocking him as far away from Aliyah as possible. The Lightning Ninja frowned and looked around, she hadn't done that which meant either Rebecca or Tyler was somewhere close by.

Moltor growled and pushed himself up from the ground. "Enough of these childish games," he snarled. "Just give me the crown and you can all walk away, unharmed."

"Unharmed?" Aliyah repeated. "I find that one hard to believe."

"Aliyah, Dad!" Mack shouted, running over. The others were behind him. "Back off," he warned Moltor, standing in front of his new team-mates, and wielding his blaster.

Moltor laughed, but the sound of screeching caused him to look around. Two Lava lizards were running towards him, brandishing the crown in their clawed hands.

"Finally," he said, taking it from them. "The crown is mine!"

"Spencer!" Aliyah whispered, looking around for the butler. She saw him stumbling towards them, clutching his arm.

"I'm sorry, sir," said Spencer to Andrew. "They overpowered me."

"The choice is yours, Rangers -" said Moltor, earning the Rangers attention again. Aliyah growled, her eyes narrowing on the crown in Moltor's possession, while her hands curled into fists. "Go after me and the crown..." he swung his head to the side, blasting the skyline above the city with a fiery burst of energy. There was an explosion of rock and a spray of lava, as a volcano appeared, spewing molten magma into the air. "Or save the city below."

The Rangers gasped at the sudden turn of events.

"You want to be heroes?" Moltor challenged. "_Be_ heroes!"

He turned and disappeared in a flash of light.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Monday, September 09, 2013 at 03:30am**


	2. Kick Into Overdrive, Part II

**Author's Note:** Just finished writing 'Weather or Not' and decided to bring you 'Kick into Overdrive Part II' with two familiar faces from Aliyah's past making an appearance, and one of them becomes an Overdrive Ranger – can you guess which one? Oh, and Aliyah gets snappy with Hartford.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

Big thank you to the following: **Starpower21, Grapejuice101, CamaroDude1989, Emergency70, Dandelion657, Pinkrangerfan, TWD, Mr-Saviour009, Dueling God, Hector4349** and **Summer490 **for adding this story and/or me to their alerts. Appreciate it mates.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"We can't let him get away," argued Will. "We have to go after the crown!"

"No, there are people to be saved first." Andrew interrupted.

"But the crown!" protested Ronny.

"It wasn't the real crown," said Andrew. "Now, you need to split up."

"Woah, wait a minute," said Aliyah. "What do you mean it wasn't the real crown?"

Andrew sighed. "I'll fill you in back at the house," he said. "Rose, Ronny, and Dax, find a way to stop the volcano at the source."

The yellow, pink and blue Rangers nodded and run off in the direction of the base of the volcano.

"Alright then Mack and I'll go to town and see how we -" started Will, heading towards the city.

"Wait," said Andrew, looking at his son. "Mack has done enough."

"No, dad, I started this." Mack said, shaking his head. "I'm gonna finish it."

Aliyah smirked and nodded as she bypassed her uncle, her arms folded over her stomach. "Spoken like a true red Ranger," she said. "Let's go," she added to the two guys.

"Woah, hold on," said Andrew, grabbing her arm. "You're not going anywhere. You're not a ranger, and I promised your mother that, if the time came, I'd keep your safe."

"Yeah, well my mother is dead!" snapped Aliyah. "Where the hell were you eighteen-years-ago, huh? You can stand there and give me a load of bullshit about how your promised her that you'd always be there for me, or that you'd keep me safe, but the fact remains is that _no one_ was there after she died, no one was there for me - _you_ weren't there for me," she shook her head and shrugged lightly, before adding in a light, but broken whisper. "I don't need you now."

She ripped her hand from Andrew's and run off towards the city. Mack and Will exchanged looks and followed her, while Andrew and Spencer watched them leave.

"He'll be fine, sir," said Spencer, reassuringly.

Andrew nodded, half-heartedly, but for once, it wasn't his son that he was worried about.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

People ran screaming as thick molten lava flooded their streets, destroying everything it touched. Cars and buildings were incinerated, while the glass from store fronts were blasted out under the intense heat.

In the chaos, a brunette woman lost her footing and hit the ground as the rest of the city thundered around her, no one stopped to see if she was OK or if she needed help, they were too afraid and wanted to get themselves out of the way of the danger.

Self-preservation was powerful thing.

Sliding over a car hood, Will landed beside the woman. He was fully morphed, so that the woman couldn't identify him, and grabbed her shoulders. "C'mon!" he urged her, helping her to her feet. "Go, get out of here!"

The woman nodded and raced off down the street.

Due to the immediate evacuation of people, cars had been piled high and left abandoned; some even had their engines still running. One car had even crashed into the driver's side door of another, and had trapped a woman and her baby inside.

Aliyah felt her breath catch in her throat at the sound of the baby's frantic cries. Her heart hammered a mile a minute, but her body was reacting faster than anything. She raced across the road to the car and looked in through the window; the mother was banging the window, screaming for help.

"Please, please help me!" she cried to Aliyah.

"I'm going to help you," said Aliyah, trying to quickly assess the situation. The lava was getting closer, sliding over the cars like water in a bath. "What's your name?"

"Samantha."

"Alright, Sam, i'm Aliyah," said the Ninja. "I'm gonna get you out - somehow," she added to herself. She looked to the car that was trapping Sam and her baby, and then over her shoulder, neither Will nor Mack were close by in order to help her move it, which meant that she needed to use an alternative. "Hold on!" she urged the terrified mother.

The lava was getting closer and closer by the second, and the more time Aliyah let slip, the less time she would have to rescue the mother and baby, but she was lost.

"Oh, god! Oh, god!" Aliyah panicked, running a hand through her hair.

"Please, get us out!" Sam cried, hysterically.

Aliyah looked up at the lava flow and then back at the car. She rushed around to the passenger's side door, but found that it had been crushed too. The door wouldn't budge, even when she did try it. She considered smashing the glass, but couldn't chance it with the baby in the car.

Near to tears herself, Aliyah finally realized that she couldn't do this by herself. Her anger at Andrew was clouding her better judgment, and she wasn't thinking as straight as she should have been which was resulting in Sam and her baby being seconds away from the lava flow.

"Aliyah!" Sam cried, looking over her shoulder. "It's getting closer."

"I'm trying!" Aliyah said her voice breaking.

She grabbed onto the handle of the passengers door and tried to pull it open again, but no matter how much she tried, the door just wouldn't budge.

"COME ON!" Aliyah shouted, frantically. "STUPID PIECE OF FUCKING CRAP!"

"Someone seems to have forgotten her manners," said a voice.

Aliyah jumped and spun around, sighing as she saw it was Tyler. "I'll retrieve my manners after I save Sam and her baby," she said. "But the door won't freaking open!"

"Did you ask it nicely?"

"Don't screw with me, Ty," said Aliyah. "Their lives are in danger. Help me open the freaking door!"

"All you had to do was ask," said Tyler. He climbed down from the abandoned car he was kneeling on and grabbed the handle of the passenger's door, Aliyah did the same and together they managed to pry the door out of the frame. When it was clear, Aliyah climbed inside and quickly unstrapped Sam's seatbelt.

"Come on," said Aliyah.

Sam passed her son over, and Aliyah passed him to Tyler, she then grabbed Sam and pulled her out.

The lava was a mere few meters away.

"We're not gonna make it," said Sam, terrified.

Aliyah looked at Tyler. "We'll make it," she promised, silently telling him that they had no choice but to use Ninja-streak.

The former head-master of the Lightning Academy nodded and, clutching the baby boy to him, he took off in a blur of black. Aliyah followed him, with Sam clinging to her arm.

"Thank you," cried Sam.

"You'll be safe here," said Tyler, stepping out of his streak on the top of a tall building. It was tall enough to see all over the city, and was also way out of reach of the lava, unfortunately, while Sam and her baby were safe the rest of the city, plus Mack and Will, had been cornered by the two lava flows.

Aliyah looked down over the side of the building; just in time to see Will summon his drive slammer and crack open the ground. It caused a crevice in front of the cornered people, and let the lava fall over the sides.

Aliyah and Tyler sighed in relief as the crisis had been averted.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Back at Hartford manor, the new team of Rangers was introduced to Tyler, while Mack became aware that he had more family, aside from Aliyah, outside of San Angeles.

"We did what Moltor asked us to do - be heroes." Dax grinned.

"But the bad guys got away." Will said, shaking his head.

"There will be another day," said Andrew, reassuringly. He hadn't been that surprised to hear that he had a nephew, as Tyler's mother, Phoebe, had written to him and told him that she was pregnant 24-years-ago, but he had never met the baby... until now. "But today - today you guys were great."

"We were great?" Rose questioned. "Mack was the one who was great. He led us to victory, and saved everyone's skins, including yours."

Andrew smiled, weakly. "Yes," he nodded. "Great job, Mack. You wanted to be a ranger, and you were one. Now it's time to put away that fantasy. I'll take that."

He took the Overdrive morpher from his son and walked out of the room, leaving the Rangers and two Ninjas to watch him leave.

Aliyah shook her head as the elevator doors closed on Andrew, and then turned to Mack. "Don't worry, dude," she said, squeezing his shoulder. "You _earned_ the position of red Ranger today. We'll get your morpher back. I promise."

Mack smiled weakly, unsure on how she was going to pull through with that kind of promise.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Incredible!" Will exclaimed, touching a square on the globe and looking back at the computer and Rose. The place he had touched on the machine, lit up like a Christmas tree on the flat screen behind the pink Ranger. "I thought only the defense department had this type of global tracking capability."

"This one's way better." Rose grinned. "It's got a network of 27 satellites, wide-area augmentation system, parallel multichannel design, and a differential GPS accurate to one inch or less."

Aliyah blinked as she and the others stared at Rose.

The pink Ranger looked around at everyone as she felt their eyes on the back of her head. "What?" she asked.

"Dude, you sound like a computer," said Aliyah. "There are only two other people that I know that could know all that, and one of them is not Hartford."

"So, I guess i'm the only one who memorized the data manual." Rose said.

"I haven't even opened it," said Aliyah.

Ronny shook her head and turned back to the computer. "Now, where are these amazing vehicles that they said we'd be using?" she tapped at a few keys and gasped as the screen revealed the Zord bay, showing the new team an array of assault vehicles that were at their disposal.

"Wow." Rose gasped.

"I think you found them," said Tyler.

"Those are for us?" Ronny asked, waving her hand in front of her face. "I may need to lie down a minute."

Aliyah snickered and glanced at Tyler. "Ronny Robinson," she said, pointing at the yellow Ranger. "Champion Racer."

"I know who she is," nodded Tyler. "Congratulations on your latest victory."

"Thanks," grinned Ronny.

Aliyah rolled her eyes and pretended to gag. "Do you two want to get a room?" she asked. "This is a public base, you know."

"I thought it was a private base?" Tyler asked.

"Private to the rest of the world," retorted Aliyah. "Public to the occupants of this house. If you want to flirt, take it upstairs!"

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

While Aliyah and Tyler bickered down in the base, and Ronny blushed at the insinuation of her flirting with the newcomer, although she would admit that he was really cute, Mack had retreated into the back garden of his home. He was still bummed that his father had taken his Overdrive tracker from him.

"What, no book?" Spencer asked, as he found him.

"I don't feel like it today." Mack answered. "Guess I'm just tired of reading about everyone else's adventures."

Spencer nodded lightly and descended the steps. He pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and set it on the steps beside his young charge, and then sat down. "Nasty place, the outdoors. Mack, I can see you're upset," he added to the boy beside him.

"I'm not upset." Mack answered. "I'm confused. My father's kept me sheltered my whole life, he doesn't even tell me that I had extended family outside of the country, and then suddenly he brings back a complete and total stranger, telling me that she is my cousin and that she's staying with us for the time being, and on top of that, I finally get the one chance to prove myself worthy, I do, and he takes it away."

"Look," sighed Spencer. "I know you don't understand this, but he's only doing all this to protect you. Your father is the most fearless man I've ever met. There's only one thing I know he's afraid of. Losing you."

Mack paused and looked up.

"He's already lost his parents," added Spencer. "His sisters. So if sometimes you feel like just one of his possessions, remember that, with all his wealth and his treasures, you are the one thing that remains irreplaceable to him."

"But Aliyah and Tyler -"

"Could never replace you," said Spencer, with a shake of his head. "_You_ are his pride and joy, Mack. Just you."

Mack frowned in thought, before nodding lightly. "Thanks, Spencer," he said, jumping to his feet and racing inside.

The butler smiled to himself.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After discovering the disappearance of his father, Mack frantically paced the Overdrive base. "He's gone, and his office is trashed," he said, wringing his hands nervously.

"How did none of us hear this?" Dax wondered.

"Maybe because we're several thousand feet below the manor?" suggested Tyler. "But, Dax does raise a good point, I mean, doesn't this place have any alarms that alert you guys to evil? Every other Ranger team had some form of an early warning system."

"Could we have disabled it when we were playing around with the computer?" Aliyah asked.

Rose shook her head. "All systems are up and running," she said. "The early warning system is focused mainly on the rest of the planet, not us."

"Well, that's stupid," muttered Aliyah.

"Who could have taken him?" asked Will.

"It's got to be those lava freaks," said Mack.

"At least he has his locator watch with him," said Spencer, before adding dismally." That is, if he hasn't broken it already."

"I'll program a search pattern, starting with the west-coast grid," said Rose. "I can widen it if necessary."

Mack nodded, although he was still terrified for his father's safety.

"Don't worry, Mack, we're going to get your dad back." Dax reassured his friend.

"Thanks." Mack smiled. "I just wish he hadn't taken Red's tracker."

"Ah, yes, the tracker," said Spencer. "What a pity it's in your father's office. Locked in a foolproof safe. Impossible to crack."

Aliyah grinned as Spencer turned to Will, just this morning he had boasted about being hired to break into Hartford's own personal vault in Brazil, now they needed someone to break into Hartford's safe, if anyone was the man for the job, it was Will Aston.

As the black Ranger left the base, the computer beeped alerting the Rangers to Hartford's current location.

"I've found him!" Rose exclaimed.

"Oh, wonder of wonders." Spencer smiled. "For once, Mr. Hartford remembered his locator watch."

"Yes!" Mack cheered.

"Rotuma Island. Never heard of it." Ronny said, shaking her head.

"It's a remote island in Australasia," said Tyler. "Approximately 465 kilometers north of Fiji."

Aliyah stared at him in surprise.

"What?" Tyler shrugged.

"How the hell did you know that?" Aliyah asked.

Tyler rolled his eyes. "I, unlike you, actually read," he pointed out.

"Ooh. That was cold," said Aliyah, although her grin gave away her facade. "OK. So, we know _were_ Hartford is, the question is now, how the _hell_ are we gonna get there?"

Everyone, including Mack, looked at Spencer.

"Well, the fastest way would be to use the special hydro/aero recon craft," said the Butler. "Which Mr. Hartford loves to call the 'SHARC'," he patted Dax's shoulder and pressed a button on the computer's console. A sleek aircraft carrier appeared on the screens, causing Ronny's eyes to light up with excitement.

"Sweet. I'm driving," said Ronny.

"Yeah, I'm going too." Mack added.

"Me too," said Aliyah. "Hartford may not be my biggest fan right now, but blood is thicker than water, and he is the closest thing I have to a parental figure at the moment."

Tyler smirked. "Moltor doesn't realize what he has let himself in for," he said to Ronny, Rose and Dax. "Aliyah's gonna go nuclear."

"Don't try and stop us, Spencer," said Mack to the Butler.

"I wouldn't dare, sir," said Spencer, aghast that he would think such a thing.

"Hey, hotshot," called Will as he returned to the base. "If you're coming along, you might need this." He held up the red Overdrive Tracker and tossed it to Mack.

"My Tracker!" Mack grinned.

"Oh, you did it!" Ronny laughed.

"Was there any doubt?" Will asked.

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "Alright, guys, let's hit it," she said. "Before Will's head gets any bigger and we can't get him on the plane."

The black Ranger threw her a glare, while the others laughed and followed her out of the base.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"This baby rips." Ronny gushed from the SHARC controls.

"We're getting close." Tyler called back. He was sitting alongside Ronny at the controls, while the other Rangers and Aliyah sat in the back.

"Setting course for Rotuma Island." Rose called to the front.

"Got it." Will said, searching the area.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Aliyah asked.

Ronny grinned. "You just said the magic world," she said, pushing down on the throttle and ripping it through the skies.

"Ohh!" every cried, save for Ronny who cheered, happily.

"Whoo-hoo!"

Tyler craned his neck to look at her, laughed and shook his head.

Aliyah smirked as she caught the look from her position at the back. Her cousin had a crush, and she was going to take full advantage of it.

Within seconds the SHARC had left the Hartford mansion and landed on the beach of Rotuma Island, the Rangers, Aliyah and Tyler left the comfort of the plane, and walked along the beach. Aliyah wrapped her arms around herself as she remembered the last time she had been on an island, it was back before she was a Lightning Ranger, but that Island had been sinking, thankfully this one wasn't - she hoped.

"Now what?" Ronny asked.

"Let's look around," said Mack.

"That could take all day," said Dax. "I mean, this place is huge!"

"Allow me." Will said, stepping forward. He used his new super powers to scan the whole island, before pointing ahead of him towards the centre of the island. "I think I found it. There's a cave entrance on the west side of the volcano. But wait, I think I heard -" he broke off as a group of Lava Lizards jumped out from behind the rock formations surrounding the beach. "Lava Lizards!"

As the lizards descended upon them, the Rangers, Aliyah and Tyler, struck defensively and fought back. The battle was unfair, for most of the team, Will, Dax, Ronny and Rose had their abilities to fall back on, while Aliyah and Tyler were highly skilled Ninja's, unfortunately, Mack was neither a Ranger, nor did he have any super-enhanced abilities.

But he still managed to hold his own.

"Guys, if you can you hold them off," Aliyah shouted to Ronny, Mack, Rose and Will. "Tyler, Dax and I can get to the cave."

"Yeah, alright, go!" Mack shouted back.

Aliyah nodded and turned to Dax and Tyler. "Let's go," she told them, Ninja-streaking away. Tyler followed her example, as Dax used his enhanced skills to chase after them.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Moltor led the way into the lava chamber inside the Volcano.

"Bring him here," he ordered his lizards, which were supporting a struggling Mr. Hartford between them. "I'll give you one more chance to come to your senses. Will you help me find the jewels or not?"

"For the last time," said Mr. Hartford. "I'll never help you."

Angrily, Moltor grabbed a near-by lizard and tossed him off of the cliff, and into the bubbling lava below. He hit the hot thick substance with a splash, but re-emerged and scaled the cliff to rejoin his master two seconds later.

"Unfortunately for you, Mr. Hartford," said Moltor. "Lava Lizards can survive molten lava, you, one the other hand, cannot."

He grabbed Andrew's shirt and shoved him over the cliff.

"Gotcha!" someone said, and Andrew felt an arm wrap around him. He saw the lava coming closer, but soon it was going away as whoever had hold of him landed on a rock, very close to the surface, and bounced back up into the chamber. They landed on a ledge, and Andrew looked up to see it had been Aliyah who had saved him.

Moltor growled and blasted her with a burst of energy from his head.

"Lightning strike!" Aliyah retaliated, firing a beam of white lightning at him from the palm of her hand. During her training at the Lightning academy, before it had been destroyed, she had learned how to control her Lightning powers and how to conduct them without being in a thunderstorm.

The two blasts hit one another, causing the whole mountain to shake.

"ATTACK!" Moltor ordered his lizards.

They complied and started to scale the walls leading to the ledge that Aliyah and Hartford and landed on.

"I'm guessing if I push them into the lava pit," said Aliyah, kicking a near-by Lizard off of its perch. "They're just gonna get back up?"

"You'd be correct." Andrew nodded, as the lizard returned.

"Frack!" Aliyah cursed. "WHERE'S MY BACKUP!"

Another blur entered the cave, bounced through the lizards and knocked them into the lava pit, they just returned, angrier than ever.

Tyler landed beside Aliyah and Hartford. "Come on," he said, helping his uncle climb down to where Dax was waiting. Aliyah jumped and landed in front of them, dropping down and sweeping a couple of lava lizards off of their feet.

"Let's get out of here!" said Dax, leading the way outside.

"We'll follow you," said Tyler, hanging back to help Aliyah.

Moltor snarled and fired at them again.

Tyler grabbed Aliyah and dragged her through the archway.

"Run!" he shouted, forcing her ahead of him.

"You can't run from me!" Moltor shouted after them. "Lava Lizards!"

The Lizards snarled and chased after their prey.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Mack flipped a lava lizard as Dax and his father came running towards him. The latter was very surprised to see his son fighting on the beach.

"Mack, what are you doing here?" he shouted.

"Saving you butt." Mack answered.

"Look, I thought I told you -" started Andrew, but cut off as Moltor jumped down from the volcano and faced them on the beach.

"You'll never escape this Island." Moltor told them, as a black blur streaked overhead, kicked off from the side of the mountain and flipped backwards. It landed in-between Moltor, Andrew, Mack and Dax, and kicked the overgrown lava lizard in the stomach, sending him stumbling away.

"Call to the beast inside!" shouted the new-comer. "Unleash the Eagle!"

A black aura surrounded the new person, and a giant black eagle burst from their chest. It soared through the air, opened its beak and blasted a huge energy orb at the hot-head. Moltor staggered as the orb hit him dead in the chest.

"Who are you?" he growled.

"Mack, how did you -" Andrew said, as Mack drew his tracker.

"Sorry, dad, you'll have to finish yelling at me later," said Mack, racing off to join his team-mates. They each regrouped and prepared to morph.

Meanwhile, Andrew turned to the newcomer.

"What are you doing here, Rebecca?" he asked.

"You didn't heed my warning," said the newcomer. She turned to Andrew and removed her face mask, revealing Aliyah's older sister, Rebecca to be underneath.

"She's not ready."

"She's more than ready," said Rebecca. "She's a veteran. She's been trained. She's fought the biggest battle of her life, and survived with the prophecy intact. You said you needed help, so I sent you two of the Lightning Academies best fighters, what you do with them is up to you, but I am telling you now, Aliyah is more than ready to protect the Corona."

Andrew sighed. "But your mother -" he started.

"Is dead." Rebecca interrupted. "And yes, I am aware that you promised her that you'd protect Aliyah, but Aliyah doesn't need protecting. Trust me; I learned that the hard way. Protecting Aliyah is going to do nothing more than push her away, and right now, she needs all the family support that she can get; apparently I didn't give her enough. So, please, don't make the same mistakes I did."

"Are you _sure_ this is the only way?" Andrew asked.

"You want to uphold the promise you made to my mother, yes?" said Rebecca. Andrew nodded. "Then this is the only way. I need Aliyah to continue this Ranger legacy. It is all the training that she is going to need in order to survive what her destiny holds for her. The prophecy still plays a huge part of her life, Uncle Andrew, I need her strong enough in order to survive part 2."

"Does she know?" Andrew asked.

Rebecca shook her head. "Neither of them do," she answered, referring also to Tyler's knowledge. "I'd like to keep it that way, at least until the moment is right."

"Secrets and Lies, Rebecca," said Andrew, shaking his head.

"Secrets and Lies is all I know how to do," admitted Rebecca. "Especially when it comes to my baby sister."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

With Moltor defeated and Rebecca heading back to Ocean Bluff - she had gone before her sister and cousin could see her - the Rangers, Aliyah, Tyler and Hartford climbed back into the SHARC and returned to the mainland's.

Spencer was waiting for them in the base when they returned.

"Thank goodness you're all right, sir, I was really getting worried about you," said the butler as he spotted his boss.

"Spencer, are you turning into a softy in your old age?" Hartford teased.

"Never, sir." Spencer gasped, outraged by the idea. The team laughed at the pair, before the alarms blared; alerting them all to a 30ft monster that was trampling the very same island they had just left.

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "Well, what do you know," she said, sarcastically. "A giant sea creature is attacking Rotuma Island."

"Sounds like it's time for the big stuff," said Ronny.

"All right, Ronny," agreed Hartford. "Guys, get your DriveMax Zords and go."

"Oh yeah!" Ronny cheered.

Mack followed after them, but Mr. Hartford stopped him. He didn't want to lose his son, which was why he didn't want him a part of this team.

"Just let him goes," said Aliyah, rolling her eyes. "He's already proven that he's the red Ranger, and they can't form the Megazord without him."

"But he -"

"Will be fine," said Aliyah. "This is why the Rangers are a team, and not individuals, they protect each other from harm. Nothing is going to happen to him. You can't shelter him forever, Andrew, you need to let him live, let him breathe, or you're gonna push him away."

Andrew sighed as he remembered Rebecca had used similar words back on Rotuma Island, she had said that by trying to protect Aliyah was only going to result in pushing her away, was that what he was doing to his own son too?

"Mack, be careful," smiled Hartford.

Mack grinned and raced off to join his team; he caught Aliyah's eye on the way out of the base and smiled at her. If it hadn't been for her, he'd never have his father's approval to officially become the team's Red Ranger.

As the Rangers left to deal with the sea monster, Andrew turned back to Aliyah and Tyler.

"I think it is time we talked," he said.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Tyler looked to his left at Aliyah and Mack; the three of them were stood between two metal poles that were slowly altering their genes.

A faint red squiggle rippled over Mack's chest, as a white one rippled across Aliyah, and a green one zoomed around his chest, it had been an hour since the Rangers had returned from their battle with the sea monster, and Hartford had suggested that he and Aliyah join the team as the sixth and seventh Rangers.

At first, Aliyah hadn't been too thrilled by the idea, but Andrew had insisted that the team may need a veteran's help from time-to-time, and there was no one he trusted more than her. Aliyah had caved and agreed, but only if Tyler agreed to the idea too. He had done so in a heartbeat. While he had never wanted to be a Ranger in the past, he knew that being one now meant that he could protect Aliyah both on and off the battlefield, something that he had promised his mother before she had died five-years-ago.

"Your DNA sequencing is now completed," said Spencer as he switched off the machine. The poles quivered as the energy died out of them, and they moved away from the three new Rangers.

"I don't feel any different," said Mack, putting on his new jacket. "Do you guys?" he asked his cousins.

Aliyah shook her head and looked at Tyler. "Do you?" she asked.

"Nope."

"Well, it takes a few minutes to kick in," said Ronny, remembering what it had been like for her. One minute she had felt normal, the next she was racing around the place at top speed.

"It's great to have to guys on the team," said Rose, handing over the three Trackers that she was holding.

"I can't believe this is really happening." Mack grinned, excitedly.

"Yeah, well, don't take it for granted," said Aliyah. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"Unless, of course, your name is Aliyah Logan," added Tyler.

Aliyah glared up at him. "Shut up," she growled. "I didn't ask for this stupid Ranger gig to follow me around, if I had known I was gonna be a Ranger six times after Ninja Storm, I would have told Rebecca exactly where to shove the Lightning Morpher and walked away when I had the chance."

Tyler smirked and wrapped his arm around his cousin. "You love it really," he said, before pausing. He shrugged his shoulders and rolled his head from side to side, cracking the bones in his neck.

"What's up with you?" Aliyah asked, frowning.

"I dunno," said Tyler. "I just got this weird feeling all of a sudden."

"Weird feeling? Like what?"

"I don't -"

_CRACK!_

The Rangers, plus Spencer jumped, as Tyler disappeared from beside Aliyah.

"Dude, where'd you go?" Aliyah shouted, looking around for her cousin. "Ty?"

There was another loud _crack_, and Tyler reappeared. "Whoa," he laughed. "That was awesome!"

"Where'd you go?" Ronny asked, looking surprised. "Was that your new power?"

"I think so," said Tyler.

Spencer smiled. "Teleportation," he nodded. "Nicely done, sir."

"Thanks, Spencer," grinned Tyler. "What's your power?" he added, looking at Aliyah.

"I dunno," she shrugged. "Spence?"

Spencer smiled. "I think you will find refreshingly familiar, madam," he said. "After all, if anyone can go through any phase, it is you."

The rest of the team frowned at the riddle, but Aliyah gasped, her eyes growing wide. "No way?" she asked, trying to contain a squeal, but failing. "Oh, My God! Tyler, hit me!"

"What?" Tyler asked, surprised. "I'm not gonna hit you."

"Do it!"

"No, you'll hit me back," said Tyler, "and you hurt."

Aliyah grinned. "I promise I won't hit you," she said. "Besides, I highly doubt I'll feel your punch."

"Hey, i'm not _that_ weak." Tyler defended.

"Just hit me!" Aliyah groaned.

Tyler sighed. "Fine!" he said, making a fist. He hesitated and looked at the others. "Are you sure -?" He broke off as he ducked a fist from Aliyah. "Dude, wa -" he jumped backwards as Aliyah aimed a kick for his side. "Alright, that's it!" he said, rushing at her, he reached out to grab her but instead of his hands closing around her shoulders, they went straight through her - as did he.

"Holy crap, what was that?" Dax asked, staring at the new white Ranger. He walked towards her and tried to poke her, but his hand went straight through her. "How are doing that?"

"I can phase again!" Aliyah grinned, looking down at her hands. They looked normal to her, but to everyone else they looked transparent, like they were there, but they weren't solid. "Yes! I can phase without the help of a gem. Spencer, you're the best!"

Spencer bowed his head. "I do try, madam," he said with a light smile.

"So, what about me?" Mack asked, looking down at his own body. He suddenly felt a shiver down his spine, and turned to Spencer. "Hang on, I think I just -" he picked the Butler up by the collar, so that Spencer's toes were brushing against the tiled floor.

"Whoa!" Spencer yelped. "When I asked for a raise, this is hardly what I had in mind."

The team laughed at his expense, as Hartford entered the base from the elevator. "I see you've given Mack, Aliyah and Tyler their enhanced powers," he said, hiding a smile. "You can put Spencer down now," he added to his son.

Mack complied and set the Butler back on the ground.

"Thank you." Spencer said, quickly seeking refuge behind his boss, as Mack, Aliyah and Tyler turned to the rest of the team. "I had the resequencer calibrated especially for Mack, sir," he added in a low whisper.

Hartford nodded and looked back at his new team. Dax was still poking Aliyah, unable to get over the fact that his hand was going straight through her.

Aliyah glared at the blue Ranger, as she managed to maintain a firm control over her powers, and his hand hit her in the shoulder. Dax smiled, sheepishly, rubbed the back of his neck and quickly stepped away from her.

"Listen up, Rangers, it's time to get to work," called Andrew. "Our enemies have the crown, and now they're going to be after the jewels. It's going to be the mission of Operation Overdrive to find them first."

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Wednesday, 11th September, 2013 at 02:57am **


	3. Underwater World

**Author's Note:** Glad you're all enjoying the new installment, and you like that Tyler has been given more screen time. I figure that both Aliyah and Rebecca have pretty much been filled out as much as possible as characters, so I need a new character to focus on. Tyler was the only candidate.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Dedications: **Chapter goes out to the following:** Weathergirl17248, Lizziestrong7135, Sweetortonlover86** and **D****guice** for adding this story and/or me to their favourite alerts. Appreciate it mates.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"It's a waste of manpower," complained Will. He and the other Rangers were walking away from the library where they had just been to retrieve a book that Andrew Hartford had sent them to collect; the black Ranger just didn't understand why Andrew had sent all seven of them when he was perfectly capable of doing it himself.

"Think of it has a field trip," said Rose.

"Yeah, if there's one thing I know about my dad, he's got a reason for everything," said Mack.

"Hey, guys, check this out!" Dax called from the fountain. He hopped up onto the side and did a handstand, taking a few steps on his hands, and then flipping back over onto his feet.

The Rangers laughed and clapped their hands.

"That was awesome!" Ronny grinned.

But Will wasn't in the mood for Dax antics; instead he put a finger to his ear, letting his friends know that he was picking up a disturbance in the distance.

"What is it, Will?" Aliyah asked, noticing the look on the black Ranger's face; however, instead of answer her, Will took off without so much as a backwards glance. Aliyah growled and turned to the others. "If I get to him before you guy, I'll kill him!"

Tyler put his hand on Ronny's shoulder as Aliyah took off in the same direction as Will. "She's not kidding," he said.

Ronny sighed and using her enhanced skills sped off after the white and black Rangers. The others followed behind at a much slower pace.

"Hey!" Ronny yelled, reaching the scene just in time to stop Aliyah from pummeling Will into the pavement. She had seen Will morph and save a guy from being road kill, but that didn't mean she approved of being ignored. "Ali, stop it!"

"I will," said Aliyah, "as soon as he explains why he run off without us."

Will shrugged as the others arrived. "Sorry, guys, but i'm used to working alone," he said. "What can I say? I'm a one man show."

"You'll be a dead man show if you don't drop the arrogant attitude," seethed Aliyah.

Tyler wrapped his arm around Aliyah's shoulder, stopping her from wiping the smug look off of Will's face as he walked past them.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Oh, good, you're back." Andrew said, looking up from the book in his hands as the team returned. "While using the satellites to comb the ocean floor, I think I fund something of interest."

Will frowned at the book in Hartford's hands. "That's the same book!" he exclaimed, before chuckling.

"Wait a minute," said Aliyah. "So you sent us into town with Mr. One-Man-Show..." she nodded at Will. "To collect a book that you already had?"

"I thought I misplaced it." Andrew answered, sheepishly, taking the second book from Will. "Thanks, anyway. Good job."

Aliyah scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"So, what did you find out, Dad?" Mack asked as his father put both books down on a table nearby, before moving on to the computer.

"Atlantis?" Rose asked her voice high-pitched with excitement.

"I'm not entirely sure," said Andrew. "But I think so. Look at this. If the telemetry is correct, then these ruins are over ten thousand years old."

"So what? My socks are that old." Ronny shrugged.

"Atlantis was the domain of Neptune, god of the sea." Rose explained.

"And a possible resting place for one of the jewels," added Andrew. "I'm getting a very faint jewel signature here."

"I hope you all packed your scuba gear," said Tyler, rubbing his hands. "Because it looks like we're going swimming."

"I'll go alone. It'll be much faster." Will announced.

"Hey, no way, hotshot." Aliyah interrupted. "I'm coming, too."

"Enough." Andrew interrupted. "You'll all go together. It's dangerous out there, Will, you'll need your team."

"But -" Will started to argue.

"Will, you don't work alone anymore." Andrew said, shaking his head. "If you find something down there, use your tracker's sensory program to source the jewels. I'll fuel the SHARC, and the flight plan is programmed into the mainframe. Stick to the flight plan. You don't want Flurious or Moltor following you."

The team nodded and headed out, as the elevator doors closed behind them the man that Will had saved from being road kill hurried into the base.

"How did they do?" Andrew asked him.

The man removed his rubber latex mask to reveal Spencer underneath. "I'm fine, sir, thank you for asking," he said, sarcastically.

"Spencer." Andrew urged.

"Yes, well, the good news is i'm not splattered over the pavement," said the butler. "The bad news is they didn't work as a team to save me, although they did work together - and I mean everyone except for Aliyah and Will - to prevent the former from killing the latter."

Andrew sighed and nodded.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'll just get out of these boots before I end up with Hammertoes." Spencer complained, limping from the room.

Andrew meanwhile remained in the base, wondering how he was going to tackle the team's newest problems of working as one.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Ronny grinned as she looked over at her co-pilot. Normally it was Tyler sitting across from her, but today Will had claimed the spot before the green Ranger had a chance. "This is so sweet," she said. "I can't wait to turn off that autopilot."

"Why wait? Let's see what this puppy can do." Will said, sitting with his hands behind his head.

"No way," said Ronny, stopping him as he reached for the controls. "Andrew said stick to the flight plan."

"I'm not used to people telling me 'no.'" Will told her.

"Well, get used to it." Ronny said. "No."

Will sighed and looked away, before 'accidentally' flipping the switch and knocking off the autopilot.

"WILL!" Aliyah yelled as she and the others were pushed against the back of their seats from the sudden burst of high speed.

"We are now free to fly around the world!" Will laughed.

"Oh this is such a bad idea." Ronny muttered, as a cool female voice echoed over the SHARC's intercom.

"_Deviating from flight plan._"

"Oh, god, we're gonna die!" Dax yelled, dramatically covering his eyes with his arm.

Aliyah rolled her eyes at him and unbuckled the belt that held her to her seat; uneasily she climbed to out of her chair and made her way to the front of the plane, and pulled the controls out of Will's grasp. "I say we leave the driving to the racer," she snapped, passing the controls back to Ronny. "You pull some stupid shit like that again, Will, and I'll kick you out of the plane myself!"

Will glared at the white Ranger as Ronny pulled the belly of the SHARC up, skimming the waves of the sea. Still struggling to get full control, the yellow Ranger had to perform an emergency stop, but thankfully managed to land them on the beach, rather than in the side of a mountain.

"Everyone OK?" Aliyah asked, looking around.

"Just a little... dizzy," said Dax, stumbling out of his seat. He landed against the controls and opened the back of the plane, sending Tyler rolling down it as he had rested against the panel, holding his head.

The former Sensei grunted as he landed face first in the sand.

"Ooh, Ty, you OK?" Aliyah called.

"I'm good." Tyler answered, holding his hand in the air and giving her thumbs up. "The sand broke my fall."

"Next time, you want to take a detour, you might want to tell the rest of us." Dax said stumbling up to Will as they all exited the plane.

Will rolled his eyes and pushed the blue Ranger away; he then reached for his tracker and put his hand to his ear. "Spencer, send the Zords."

Dax groaned and landed in the sand beside Tyler.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After the Zords had arrived, the Rangers split up. Ronny, Will, Aliyah went with Rose into the Sub Driver to scan the bottom of the ocean floor. If they did find anything then the plan was for Will, Aliyah and Ronny to investigate and relay everything back to Tyler, Mack and Dax who were still up on the beach.

The headlights of the Zord broke through the intense darkness as the Sub Driver continued to go lower. Ronny leaned forward and looked out of the window.

"Hey, we must be getting close."

"There it is." Will said, spotting the ruins first. "Good job, Rose. I'll take it from here." He reached over and put his hand on the wheel of the Zord, but Rose slapped his hand away.

"Uh, nobody drives my Zord," she told him.

Aliyah smirked.

"OK, have it your way." Will sighed.

"I'll engage the hydro claws," said Rose, reaching for her control panel.

"See? Rose knows." Ronny told Will, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Rose knows books." Will scoffed, brushing Ronny aside. "I know adventure."

"And I know how to rearrange someone's face in three seconds flat," said Aliyah. "Keep acting all high and mighty, Will, and I won't hesitate in giving you a demonstration."

"Look at the size of that thing," said Ronny, leaning in to get a better look, and obstructing Rose's view in the process.

"_Be careful, guys,_" said Mack from the surface. "_Those ruins are over 10,000 years old._"

"_You don't want to upset Neptune, the god of the sea._"

"_I thought Poseidon was the god of the sea?_" Tyler asked.

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "Not the time to get into mythology, guys," she told the other three. "Stick to the plan. Ronny, Will and I'll check the cave out. How much longer, Rose?"

"Good to go." Rose answered.

"Sweet," said Ronny, heading for the exit.

Will beat her too it. He opened the hatch and climbed out into the deport, the girls followed him, closing the hatch on Rose before opening a second hatch that led into the ocean. Water gushed all around them, submerging them completely.

Once free of the Sub Driver, the three Rangers swam towards the entrance of Atlantis.

"_Remember, guys, you're looking for the great temple._" Mack said over the comms link. "_The jewel should be inside._"

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Breaking the surface, Aliyah looked around as Will and Ronny popped up either side of her.

"Whoa," said Ronny. "I'm glad I'm not afraid of the dark."

"This way," said Aliyah leading the way towards a rocky slope heading out of the water. The three rangers climbed up and then straightened out as the slope became level again.

"Activating head lamp." Will commanded. A bright light shone out from the front of his helmet. Aliyah and Ronny copied his actions.

"Wow. This is something else, huh?" Ronny asked, looking around in amazement.

"Look at this." Will called as he rushed ahead.

"Incredible!" Ronny breathed, catching up. "It looks like -"

Suddenly Aliyah screamed and stumbled backwards into her teammates as a swarm of bats flew around her, screeching in high pitched squeals. Ronny's hand hit a crook in the wall behind her, and it opened up to reveal a second room.

"Oh, my head." Ronny grumbled, as she sat up and rubbed the back of her helmet.

Aliyah however had rolled completely backwards, off of her teammates, and laid on her stomach in the middle the new room. She shook her head and looked up, realizing that this room was bathed in a golden glow. "Where are we?" she asked, getting back to her feet and looking around.

"This is so cool!" Ronny laughed, jumping up and rushing off to inspect some more of the room. Will joined her, although his attention was drawn to a statue in the middle of a podium.

"Looks like we found the temple." Will said.

"Excuse me," said Aliyah. "I found the temple. You guys were just in my way."

"Hey, check this out," said Ronny, jumping up onto the podium. "It's got to be important." She turned a dial on the side and purple flames shot out of ever opening. One burst caught Ronny in the stomach and hurled her across the room, while Will and Aliyah hit the floor, hands over their heads to avoid the blasts.

Aliyah reached for her tracker and powered down, initiating her super enhanced powers and then straightening up. She smiled as the flames went straight through her, as if she wasn't even there, and walked towards the tower. "I'll handle this!" she said, using her tracker to summon her defender.

However, before she had a chance to fire the blaster, the tower exploded as Will fired his own blaster at it. The pieces flew overhead and crashed into the wall, before the burst of flames disappeared leaving a smoking remains in its wake.

"Dude, I had it!" Aliyah shouted, glaring across the room at Will.

"You were taking too long." Will shouted back.

"No, you just don't like the idea of someone else cutting in on your action time," seethed Aliyah.

Deciding to break up the verbal fighting, Ronny jumped up onto the pillar and looked down at the ruined tower. "Hey, look," she called. "There's something inside."

Aliyah and Will jumped up beside her, and looked down.

"It looks like a puzzle," said Will.

Ronny used her tracker to scan the board, but got no energy reading from it. "Well, it's not a jewel," she said.

"I'll call Rose," said Aliyah. "Maybe she can help us."

"I crack safes," said Will, shaking his head. "I can handle a puzzle without consulting the brainiac."

Aliyah bit back a growl and clenched her hands into fists. "I don't care what you can do," she said. "Rose can crack it without killing us in the process."

But Will wasn't listening. Instead he was playing around with the puzzle. He formed what he thought was the picture, but a soft glow appeared around the edge of the puzzle, and the room started to shake.

"Now what?" Will shouted.

"You triggered something!" Ronny answered.

Two stone hands came out from the walls and grabbed the three Rangers. Aliyah using her powers to cause the stone hands to go right through her, and landed knee-deep in water, while Will and Ronny were lifted into the air.

"This is not good!" Will shouted.

"I could have told you that!" Ronny snapped.

"Hold on, guys!" Aliyah shouted, looking around for a way to stop the chaos. Suddenly Mack's zord burst through the side of the wall, causing Aliyah to dive aside as not to be crushed by the wheels, she hid behind a pillar and watched as Mack helped Ronny and Will out of the stone hands and then tossed them into the back of the dump driver before reversing out of the temple.

Once they were gone, the shaking stopped.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Outside on the sand, Rose, Dax and Tyler rejoined Mack, Ronny and Will by Mack's Zord.

"Will, Ronny, you guys OK?" Mack asked.

"Yeah. _I _had it under control." Will answered.

"Oh, really?" Dax asked. "If that's control, I would hate to see trouble."

"Oh, Dax, I've been doing this sort of thing for a long time." Will answered, confidently.

"Where's Aliyah?" Tyler asked, noticing his cousin was missing.

"She must be still inside." Ronny answered. "She didn't become trapped like we did."

"What do you mean?"

"There was an incident in the temple," answered Ronny. "She demorphed and used her powers to try and eliminate the problem. She wasn't morphed when we became trapped, so whatever happened after that just phased straight through her. She must have hidden when Mack turned up."

Tyler sighed and turned to the city of Atlantis that was now above the surface of the water. "I have to find her," he said. "If she's in a mood then she could do a lot of damage, and not just to herself."

"I'll go with you," said Ronny, following the green Ranger towards the bridge that led to the temple.

"Hey!" Will shouted, chasing after them. "This is _my_ mission. I'll find her."

"This is _our_ mission, Will," corrected Tyler. "And besides, if you go in there, then _we'll_ be finding you... in millions of tiny pieces."

Will scoffed and turned away. "Whatever," he said. "Aliyah doesn't frighten me."

"She should," said Tyler, following after the black Ranger. "Aliyah's scary on the best of days."

Mack, Rose, Dax and Ronny exchanged looks and quickly scrambled after the black and green Rangers, as they went in search of their missing teammate.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Aliyah!" Tyler called, racing through the temple. He was quick to jump over anything that looked like it may have been a trap. Will and Ronny followed at a close pace, leaving Mack, Dax and Rose to try and keep up.

"Wait up, guys!" Mack shouted after the others.

"This way," called Will, racing past Tyler and running around a bend. Ronny and Tyler followed him, keeping up with ease.

"I don't see anything." Ronny said, ducking down and squeezing herself into a small space. "Are we sure Aliyah came through here?"

"That's if she made it out of the temple," said Rose.

"She made it out." Tyler said, confidently. "She can walk through solid objects. She's in here somewhere."

"Hey, what's this?" Ronny asked, kneeling down behind a solid wall. There was a small keyhole in the centre of it, but no key could be found.

"Scan it," said Tyler.

Ronny nodded and held her tracker up to the keyhole. "There's something behind it," she said, checking the readings she had received. "How do we get in without a key?"

"Watch and learn." Will said, creeping forward. He put the tip of his defender into the hole, and blew it apart, revealing an opening into another room.

Tyler shoved Will aside and climbed through first; he turned and held his hand out to Ronny, helping her through.

"Thanks," the race-car driver smiled.

"No problem." Tyler smiled, turning back to search for his cousin. "Aliyah, you here?"

"Right here," said Aliyah, popping up on the otherside of the room. "Come on, you're not gonna believe this," she added, motioning them to follow her. She led them through a crevice in the wall and then stepped out onto a ledge, overlooking a lava pit.

Ronny gasped as she looked around. "Wow, unbelievable!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing. "Bet this is where echoes were invented!"

"Careful," warned Aliyah, as Ronny got to close to the edge. "It's a long way down."

"Look! There it is." Will said, pointing at something silver across the stone bridge in front of them. "And it's all mine. Race you!"

He started off, but Aliyah stopped him before he could take another step.

"Let me go!" he yelled.

"I already tried that!" Aliyah shouted at him. "The bridge isn't made to be walked on. It's another trap for idiots to don't freaking listen!"

Will shrugged her off and shoved her into Tyler. "I know what i'm doing!" he snapped. "I don't need to be told how to do my job!"

"You're gonna get us all killed!" Aliyah argued.

"What's going on?" Mack asked as he, Dax and Rose finally arrived. "Why are you fighting?"

Ronny sighed and turned to her team leader. "Aliyah's trying to stop Will from crossing the bridge, she said that it was booby trapped, just like everything else in here, but Will won't listen," she explained.

"Will, enough," said Mack. "Listen to Aliyah."

"She's not the boss." Will growled. "Why should I have to listen to her?"

"Because I said so," said Mack. "She's done this before. She knows the ins and outs of being a Ranger.

"I don't care." Will argued.

"Fine!" Aliyah yelled, her voice echoing. "I won't help you. Just don't blame me when this whole thing blows up in your face."

Will glared at her from behind his visor, and then turned his back. He run out onto the bridge, before instantly regretting the decision as the supposed-to-be solid rock gave way beneath him. He yelled out as he dropped down, grabbing onto the sides to stop himself from falling into the lava pit below.

"Will!" Ronny shouted, racing forward.

"Ronny," called Tyler.

"The Jewel's on the other side." Ronny told him. "Get it. Quickly."

Tyler nodded and turned to his team-mates. He demorphed and grabbed Mack and Dax. "Rose, grab onto Dax." The pink Ranger nodded and did as told. There was a crack - which echoed around the room - and the four of them disappeared, reappearing on the otherside of the bridge.

"Hold on," said Aliyah, as she Ninja-streaked out to where Ronny and Will were. She grabbed onto the both of them, and then bounced her away across the bridge. She landed beside the others, and quickly released the yellow and black Rangers. "You're welcome!" she said, shoving Will away.

Breathing heavily, Ronny and Will stood up and looked to Aliyah. She was still demorphed, and they could tell by the look on her face that she was none-to-happy about the whole situation.

"What is it?" Dax asked, looking at Rose.

"It's from Neptune," said Rose. "Scan it."

Dax nodded and held up his tracker. His morpher beeped, as the reading came back with a high signature of 86.

"Grab it." Mack ordered.

The blue Ranger reached for the egg-shaped gem, but before she could grab it, it jumped off of the wall and floated out over the lava pit where it replicated into a million different pieces.

"Clones!" the Rangers sighed.

"This won't be so hard," said Will. "All I have to do is figure out which is the real - Mack, what are you doing?"

"This is just like my book - The Baron's Betrayal..." Mack answered.

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "Mack now is so not the time," she grumbled, folding her arms over her stomach.

"Hear me out," said Mack. "In the book the main character had to deal with something like this. It's a chain reaction. You hit one cacoon, and it floats into the next one destroying each of the clones until the real one is left hanging."

"Why doesn't the real one get destroyed?" Tyler asked.

"Because it can't," said Mack. "The clones are designed to be destroyed, the real one isn't. It holds some secret puzzle. It's so cool."

Aliyah shook her head and sighed. "Can you just get on with figuring out this puzzle?" she asked, interrupting her cousin's conversation.

"Right." Mack nodded, pushing the cacoon that was closest to him into the next one. In a matter of seconds, and a few explosions, there was only one cacoon left. "See?"

"That was cool." Tyler grinned.

"I don't believe it!" Will growled in annoyance. "Mack, I was figuring out what to do."

"Sorry, Will, but you're not the only person on this team." Mack said, putting his hand on Will's shoulder.

"Maybe I should be!" Will yelled, turning away. He swung his arm around, and hit Ronny in the back, causing her to lose her balance and tumble over the edge.

"RONNY!" Will and Tyler yelled.

"SEE WHAT YOU DID?" Aliyah yelled, shoving Will in anger. "I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE GONNA GET US KILLED!"

Mack touched Aliyah's shoulder to calm her down, while Tyler dived off of the ledge after Ronny.

"TYLER!" Aliyah yelled, shocked at her cousin's insane decision.

The green Ranger straightened himself out so that he streamlined through the air, he grabbed onto the yellow Ranger and disappeared with a _crack_.

"I'll get the cacoon." Will said, firing his zip liner into the ceiling of the cavern. He then swung across and grabbed the egg. He landed on the bridge, which started to give out as soon as he touched it. Racing back to the place he had started, Will looked back to see half of the bridge had disappeared, separating him, Tyler and Ronny from the others.

"Way to go, Will," shouted Aliyah. "Now you've separated us."

"I don't care." Will answered her. "You guys, especially you, Aliyah, are cramping my style. I'll open the cacoon... alone."

He turned and shoved his way past Tyler and Ronny.

"Now, what are we gonna do?" Rose asked.

"I'll come get you." Tyler called.

"No," said Mack. "Get out of here. Aliyah, Rose, Dax, find another way across and meet us outside."

"What are you gonna do?" Rose asked.

"I'm gonna talk to Will," answered Mack.

Rose, Dax, Tyler and Ronny nodded and headed in different directions, with Aliyah following the pink and blue Rangers. She was still seething at Will. He reminded her so much of Hunter, and that was never a good thing.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Tyler and Ronny followed the same tunnels they had come in through, in order to get back out. They reached the beach first, and looked around as Aliyah, Rose and Dax joined them.

"Flurious!" Rose shouted, spotting the frozen ice sculpture first.

"Going somewhere?" Flurious asked, raising his staff. He fired it at the Rangers, all of whom were once again fully morphed, and blasted them off of their feet, before sending the Chillers in to finish the job.

Aliyah punched the ground as she forced herself to her feet. "If I can't take my anger out on Will," she hissed. "I'll take it out on these frozen freaks!"

"Do you need help?" Tyler asked.

"Not really," said Aliyah. "But you're welcome to join the party."

Tyler smirked and turned to the others. "You heard her, guys," he said. "Let's give it all we've got!"

"Yeah!" the others agreed, racing forward to meet the Chillers.

"Argh! That's cold!" Dax cried out as he punched a Chiller. He cracked its armour, but it revealed as the blue Ranger shook his hand as it exploded with pain.

Rose groaned as she hit the ground, looking up to see a Chiller standing over her with its sword drawn. She covered her head with her hand, but before the Chiller could attack her, he was blown away as Mack arrived.

"You OK?" the red Ranger asked.

"Yeah. Thanks to you." Rose answered, taking his hand as he helped her up.

Mack nodded, looking around as Tyler saved Ronny from a similar fate. Behind the green and yellow Rangers was Aliyah, she was fighting Flurious; she seemed to be channeling her anger at Will into her fighting and giving everything she got to the overgrown ice sculpture, but he was easily blocking and attacking, catching the white Ranger at all the wrong moves.

Aliyah groaned as Flurious stabbed her in the stomach with his staff; he lifted her into the air and threw her over his shoulder.

"Sword mode!" Will shouted, as he appeared on the cliff above where Aliyah had landed. He jumped down over the white Ranger and rushed at Flurious, fighting him with the same speed and motivation that Aliyah had been.

"Flurious, is that all you've got?" Tyler shouted, racing off with Ronny to help Will. Together the three of them managed to fend Flurious off.

"I will get those jewels, Rangers," he swore, before disappearing.

The Rangers sighed in relief, demorphed and regrouped.

"It's good to have you back, buddy," said Dax, patting Will on the shoulder.

"And just in time too." Tyler agreed.

"Yeah," nodded Rose. "Great teamwork."

Will smiled and shrugged. "I'm sorry for hating on you, guys," he apologized. "I guess i'm just not used to changes and everything. It's always just been me, myself and I, you know?"

"Yeah. We know." Mack nodded.

Tyler spotted Aliyah over Will's shoulder. There was a look of pure loathing on her face, and he knew that she was about to explode. "Oh, no," he muttered, earning a confused look from Ronny.

"Oi!" Aliyah shouted, forcing herself to her feet and storming towards Will. "I didn't ask for your help!"

"Well, you had it," said Will. "The Rangers are a team; we help each other, and have each other's backs, anytime and every time." He looked over at Mack, who nodded and smiled.

Aliyah scoffed and shook her head. "So you learned the importance of team work," she snarled, shoving him. "That doesn't mean you should help me. If I wanted your help, I would have asked for it."

She turned her back on him and stormed off.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

When the Rangers got home, Aliyah, who was still seething, stormed upstairs to her bedroom. She didn't feel the desire to face her uncle or figure out the next piece of the puzzle when she was feeling in such a foul mood.

"How'd it go?" Andrew asked looking up from his work station as the Rangers entered the base, talking amongst themselves.

"Great. We found Atlantis and brought back a cocoon." Rose answered. "Massive sensory readings."

"Fantastic!" Andrew smiled. "We'll keep Atlantis to ourselves for its own protection. Uh, wait, where's Aliyah?" he added, noticing he was a Ranger short.

"We had a few problems along the way," said Tyler.

"Problems?" Andrew asked, panicking slightly.

Tyler nodded. "Yeah, Aliyah's upstairs, cooling down," he explained, glancing halfheartedly at Will.

Andrew seemed to understand and nodded. "OK. Now, let's see what you've found," he added, deciding it be best not to call Will out on his actions that morning and while on the mission, instead he would talk to both Aliyah and Will later that evening - separately, of course.

"Mind doing the honours?" Will asked, holding the cacoon out to Rose.

Rose smiled. "That's what i'm here for," she said. "One powerful jewel coming up." She put pressure onto the centre of the egg and cracked it open. But inside there wasn't a jewel, only a scroll.

"That's not a jewel," said Dax. "What a rip off."

"It's an ancient scroll." Rose said, handing it to Tyler. As a former Sensei of a Ninja Academy, she knew that he'd have a better understanding of the scroll that she or anyone else would.

Tyler untied the ribbon, and held the scroll up so that he could see the inscription on the inside.

"What's it say?" Ronny asked, leaning over the green Ranger's shoulder to get a better look.

"Well, it's a scroll," confirmed Tyler. "But it's not just _any_ scroll." He looked up at his teammates and smiled. "It's the next piece of the puzzle."

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**A/N:** Ooh! Aliyah and Will are butting heads. Will it last like Aliyah's relationships with Hunter and Trent did? Or is there no one that can replace them on Aliyah's hit list?

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Friday, 13 September, 2013 at 03:22am**


	4. Heart of Blue

**Author's Note: **Here's Chapter Four.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Dedications:** Chapter goes out to the following: **Nova Lioness, Sobreyra274** and **Dream lighting**.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"So what's the magic scroll say?" Will asked.

"Nothing." Tyler answered, setting the scroll down on the table. He straightened it out so that the others could see that there were no words to read, but a picture.

"Anyone know what it is?" Andrew asked.

"Helicopter." Ronny suggested, looking at the squiggly lines.

"Helicopter?" Mack frowned.

Tyler shook his head and looked to Rose. "Any ideas?" he asked. "I'm pretty good with Scrolls, but that's only when they have writing on them."

"Sure." Rose smiled, leaning over to inspect the picture again. She fiddled around with it for a few minutes, before grinning up at Tyler. "I got it."

"Awesome!" the green Ranger said, and put his fingers in his mouth, whistling to catch everyone's attention.

"Owe. That's worse than a dog whistle." Dax complained, rubbing his ear. He had been the one nearest to Tyler when he had whistled.

Tyler rolled his eyes.

"Dax, you can't hear a dog whistle," he said. "No human can. Anyway, Rose knows what we're looking for."

"You do?" Hartford asked the pink Ranger.

Rose nodded and turned the scroll around.

"Look familiar?" she asked.

"It's a sword." Ronny smiled.

"More precisely," said Hartford. "It's Neptune's sword. That's about all I know about it. I'm gonna have to do some more research."

"Unless..." Tyler said, looking expectantly at Rose.

The pink Ranger paused and looked around at her friends. They were all staring at her, eager looks of anticipation on their faces. "What makes you think I know any -" she started.

"Because you're you," said Tyler. "And the only other person I know that can pull information out of thin air is back in Blue Bay Harbour."

Hartford frowned at his nephew.

"Aliyah's boyfriend." Tyler shrugged. "He's kinda like Rose. A genius."

"Aliyah's dating a genius?" Mack asked. "She doesn't strike me as the type to go for geeks."

Again, Tyler shrugged and turned back to Rose. "So, what do you know about the God of the Sea?" he asked.

"OK. The sword of Neptune belonged to the God of the Sea, and it's actually made up of three scrolls, not just this one." Rose explained.

"Great, so we got two more missing scrolls." Ronny sighed.

"Hey, no one said the mission was gonna be easy," said Tyler. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go check on Aliyah."

He left the base in search of his best friend.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

The next afternoon, Aliyah and Tyler slid down the poles leading to the base from the mansion. Aliyah was still annoyed at Will, although she was starting to wonder why. Back in Atlantis the reason seemed so clear, but now she couldn't recall why he was so annoying to her. She definitely knew that it had something to do with his Hunter-like personality.

"Found the missing scrolls?" Tyler asked Rose, Mack and Ronny, they were standing around the computer.

"Not yet," answered Rose.

"Has anyone seen Will?" Ronny asked.

"Spencer is showing him the new Hovertech Cycle," answered Andrew.

No sooner had he answered the elevator doors opened and Will tumbled out, with Spencer behind him. "Whoo! You guys should see the new Hovertech cycle, Spencer is hooking me up nicely!" he grinned.

"Yes, and you will be hooked up when it is good and ready." Spencer said, promptly.

Will smiled and shook his head, just as Dax tumbled down the pole from the mansion. The blue Ranger grunted as he landed on his butt with a thud.

"You're supposed to use the pole." Ronny laughed.

Dax looked up at the pole and laughed sheepishly. "Yeah, uh, I forgot," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. Ever since he had saved a beautiful girl from a monster yesterday afternoon, Dax had been hopelessly in love. It was a funny sight to see for the other Rangers.

"Forgot?" Aliyah asked with a small smile.

"Yeah. I was thinking about something..." Dax nodded.

"More like someone." Tyler teased.

Dax grinned a lopsided smile, one that caused Ronny, Rose and Aliyah to laugh.

"Anyway," said Ronny. "Any luck researching more info on the sword of Neptune?"

"No, I, uh... was I supposed to do research?" Dax asked, blinking in confusion.

"Are you alright, Dax?" Mack asked. "It seems your minds been preoccupied lately."

"Its love," said Will. "I've seen it happen before. A woman's got him under her spell."

"No way." Dax exclaimed. "I'm not under any spell."

Ronny laughed and nodded at the sandwich Dax had been eating. He had torn through the bread, creating the shape of a heart. "Yeah," she nodded. "We can see that."

Dax stared at the sandwich and clumsily tossed it at Tyler. The green ranger caught it, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"You guys are gross." Aliyah said, shaking her head at Tyler.

"Says the only one on the team that as a boyfriend," replied Tyler, through a mouthful of food.

"Cam has a lot more manners." Aliyah muttered. "Anyway, moving on from Dax's love life. Where are we on finding these scrolls?"

The elevator doors opened and Spencer walked inside. "Sir, while returning from the mechanic's lab, I received this E-mail," he said offering Andrew the PDA.

"Is it about my Hovertech cycle?" Will asked.

"The words 'patience is a virtue' are lost on your generation." Spencer told the black Ranger.

Aliyah however was more interested in the look upon Andrew's face. She had spent enough time with Cam to know that certain looks, when reading e-mails, meant bad news. This look was definitely bad news.

"It seems the other two scrolls were in the International Museum of Antiquities." Andrew explained to the Rangers once he had finished reading.

"Were?" Rose repeated.

"About two years ago, they were believed to be stolen by Lady Penelope Easterbrook-Smythe." Andrew answered.

"The Gray Manx?" Will asked. "Her heists are legendary. I've tried for years to recover artifacts she allegedly stole from museums. I've never been able to catch her with a thing."

"Wow, and here we were thinking you were supposed to be the best in your field," muttered Aliyah.

Will glared at her.

"Then where would someone like her keep these scrolls?" Rose asked, interrupting any argument that could occur between the teams polar opposites.

"Well, I imagine that, like most ladies, she would keep her most precious possessions close to her." Spencer suggested. "I believe she lives close by."

"A break-in?" Tyler questioned. "You're suggesting that the Power Rangers, defenders of Earth, and protectors of the innocent, break into some old ladies house?"

"To retrieve stolen artifacts?" asked Aliyah. "That's good enough for me. Let's go."

The others nodded and headed for the elevator, but stopped when the computer beeped and Mira, Dax's new girlfriend, appeared on centre screen.

"Master Dax, it's your young lady, again," said Spencer, stopping the blue Ranger.

"Third time in the last 24 hours," teased Will. "It's getting serious."

"Guys, we have to go," said Mack, bringing everyone's attention back to the mission. "Dax, you can talk to her later."

Dax nodded. "Of course I can. We've got work to do." He turned and followed his friends, pausing just outside the elevator. He smiled, sheepishly and gestured over his shoulder. "Uh, I'll just be a couple of minutes."

The elevator doors closed, cutting Dax off from his team-mates.

Aliyah smirked and shook her head. "He's not gonna be a couple of minutes," she said, as the elevator started to move upwards.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Mack groaned and handed a $10 bill to Aliyah.

Tyler snickered. "Dude, I told you not to bet her," he said, patting the red Ranger on the shoulder. "Aliyah never loses a bet."

"Nope," said Aliyah, folding the note and pocketing it, "and now, because of it, I am $10 richer. Thanks, Mack."

Mack grumbled and turned back to Dax as he jumped off of his ATV.

"Surprise, surprise," laughed Ronny. "We didn't think you were gonna make it."

"I even thought you were going to do something dumb like bring her along." Tyler said.

Dax smiled. "Hey, come on, guys," he said, laughing nervously. "I thought you knew me better than that."

Aliyah and Rose exchanged looks, before looking pointedly at Dax.

"I dropped her off around the corner. But I told her to stay there," he added quickly, as his friends started to chuckle.

"Guys, focus." Rose said, laughing lightly. "Will's not out yet."

"Yeah, for an international spy," said Aliyah. "He's as slow as a turtle."

"Well, they do say that slow and steady wins the race," said Will, appearing behind them. He held up the two missing scrolls and was about to hand them to the two Ninja's when a set of guards surrounded them.

Aliyah sighed. "You've got to be kidding me," she complained, running a hand through her hair.

"OK. There are seven of us and only two of them," said Dax. "We're Power Rangers! Let's do something!"

The guard's didn't seem fazed by Dax's exclamation of them being Power Rangers, and merely set their sights on the two Ninjas. "Hand them over," the first guy said, holding his hand out. "You took something that didn't belong to you."

"Oh, you mean like how your boss took something that didn't belong to her, either?" Aliyah asked, holding the scroll tightly. "If anything these scrolls belong to the Museum. It's where they belong."

"Don't sass me, kid," said the guard. "Just hand over the scrolls and no one gets hurt."

"Is that a threat?" Aliyah asked. "Are you threatening me?"

"No one is threatening anyone," said the second guard. "Just give us back what you took, and you can all go home."

"You obviously don't know who we work for." Mack said, stepping in front of his cousin before she got herself shot or worse.

"Evidently, you don't know who _we_ work for," the guard replied. He was still holding his hand out for the scrolls, the same ones that Aliyah and Tyler had refused to hand over.

The sound of clacking shoes caused the Rangers and the guards to look around. An elderly woman, around her mid-to-late sixties, was making her way down the drive to their current position.

"Lady Penelope!" the second guard said, as the first one looked back at Aliyah.

"You're in trouble now," he said.

Aliyah rolled her eyes and pretended to quake in fear. "Ooh, i'm shaking," she said.

"Enough of this!" Lady Penelope ordered. She nodded at the guards. "Leave us."

"But, Lady -" the first guard started to protest.

Lady Penelope drew herself up to her full height. "Do not make me ask you again," she said her tone full of authority.

The two guards nodded and quickly hurried away.

Aliyah smirked, if the woman before her wasn't such a thief, she would have held a high respect for her.

"Now to deal with you," said the woman, turning back to the Rangers. "You're a stubborn one, white Ranger, I'll give you that. I suggest you get the scrolls back to your command base before the guards make it back to the house and realize they have been fooled."

The Rangers frowned and exchanged looks.

"What do you mean?" Dax asked.

Lady Penelope smirked and ripped a latex mask from her face.

Spencer gasped for breath, but his action had taken the Rangers by surprise.

"Spencer?" Mack laughed. He knew full well how skilled the butler was in disguises, but he never realized he was _this_ good.

"Quick, go now," said Spencer, urgently.

"But, Spencer?" Rose asked.

"The disguise?" Spencer laughed. "Master Hartford thought you might need a little help. Now, you get those back, I'll only slow you down."

He hurried away, stumbling in his high heels.

The Rangers laughed, while Tyler looked disturbed.

"I'm gonna have nightmares for a month," he said, before laughing along with the others.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

On the way back to the mansion, Ronny was talking with Aliyah on her actions back at Lady Penelope's.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're reckless?" the yellow Ranger asked.

"Try every day of my life," said Aliyah. "But that's just who I am. Besides, we weren't doing anything less than what Lady Penelope did, and we were doing for a better cause than her. She took the scrolls because of their link to a legend; we took them because we need them to protect the Earth."

"But did you have to sass the guards?" Tyler asked.

"He threatened me!" Aliyah exclaimed. "He should be lucky I'm not pressing charges."

Ronny and Tyler exchanged looks, just as the 4x4 was attacked by a monster. Halting the car, Mack jumped out of the driver's seat, as the others followed him.

"Give me the scrolls!" the monster shouted.

"Afraid not, Metal head." Mack shouted. "Let's lock him up!"

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

Mack leaped into a midair kick, and landed no more than a fleeting blow against the monster. Behind him, Will jump kicked, but failed to touch Ultreg.

Dax rushed forward and tried to kick and punch the monster, which he recognized as the one he had saved Mira from yesterday, but Ultreg jumped away from him.

Ronny and Tyler rushed forward to try and double team the monster, but they missed their intended target by a mile off.

Rose and Aliyah rushed forward and jumped up, using Ronny and Tyler's shoulders and springboards to attempt to get a better altitude to attack from, but they, just like the others, fell short of their mark.

With the Rangers down, Ultreg went on the offense and landed several blows against the multicolored nuisances.

He grabbed Dax by the shoulder and threw him over his head.

Dax groaned as he rolled to a stop on his stomach, and looked up to the sound of someone calling his name. His heart stopped beating as he saw Mira running towards him. "Mira, no, get back!" he shouted at her, trying to protect her.

Sensing an opportunity to get the scrolls, Ultreg grabbed Mira around the waist and held her close to him. He laughed as each of the Rangers hesitated in their attacks, afraid that they would hit the innocent he was now using as leverage.

"Toss me the scrolls if you want to save her," laughed Ultreg.

"Dax, don't," said Tyler.

"I don't have a choice," said Dax, shaking his head. "Aliyah, give me those scrolls."

"What? No!" Ronny said.

Aliyah, however knew how Dax was feeling, if it had been Cam instead of Mira's then she would have handed the scrolls over without question. "I hope she's worth it," she said, handing the scrolls to the blue Ranger.

"You'd do it for Cam, right?" Dax asked.

"Yeah. I would." Aliyah nodded, turning back to Ultreg and Mira. She watched as Dax handed over the scrolls, and then caught Mira as she was shoved into his arms.

"You humans really are suckers for a beautiful face." Ultreg laughed, before disappearing.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Once back at Hartford Mansion the team, minus Dax headed down to the base to explain the situation to Andrew and Spencer, while Dax sat with Mira in the game's room. The blue Ranger was holding his girlfriend's hand, and stroking the back of it with his thumb. He hated himself for what he had to do, but it was the only way.

"My friends think I am changing," he said. "They said seeing you is interfering with my job. They think it will eventually jeopardize the mission."

"Maybe they're right." Mira nodded. "I've become a distraction to you. You know, you're up to big things. You're the right guy, but the timing's all off." She sighed and stood up.

Dax felt his heart beat faster at her words.

"The right guy?" he murmured. "Mira, wait."

"You and your friends have to find those jewels," said Mira, stopping him from continuing. "There's nothing more important than that."

"Yes, there is." Dax said, catching her hand. "You are. I can do this. My friends will just have to get used to it. We're still going to see each other. I'm going to make this work."

Mira smiled and hugged him.

"Meet me back here in half an hour?" Dax asked. "I have to go check in with my friends and the mission."

Mira nodded and watched him leave.

Outside, Dax sighed and glanced over his shoulder. Something Mira had said was bugging him, and he couldn't believe what he was about to do.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah hesitated as she, Tyler and Dax stood in the underground base. Mack had taken the others to fight Ultreg, who had resurfaced and was searching for the last remaining scroll.

"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Tyler asked, handing the item over to Dax.

"It has too," said Dax. "I mean, I don't remember mentioning our core mission to Mira, and I know you guys haven't officially met her in order to let it slip either. There is only one way that she could've known about them."

"She's working for Flurious or Moltor," said Tyler.

"Or it could be a different person all together," said Aliyah.

Dax looked surprised. "Is that even possible?" he asked. "Multiple villians at one time?"

"It happened last year," said Aliyah. "Every time the Mystic Rangers defeated one villain, another popped up to fight them why can't that happen here?"

"Good point," said Tyler. He checked his watch. "Half an hour's nearly up," he said to Dax. "Best get upstairs before Mira turns up. You want us to wait for you?" he asked.

Dax shook his head.

"Nah, I'll meet you out there."

"Be careful, Dax," said Aliyah. "If what you say about Mira is true; then she could be really dangerous."

Dax nodded and, holding the scroll tightly in his hand, headed back upstairs to meet Mira.

Aliyah and Tyler exchanged looks.

Both had a sense of dread that this was not going to end well.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Mack gasped as he spotted a group of Chillers appear a few feet away from where he and the others were fighting Ultreg.

"Flurious!" he said. "Should have guessed he'd be behind this!"

"Ronny, look out!" Will shouted as two Chillers run at the yellow Ranger, but before they could attack her Tyler appeared and took out the foot soldiers.

"You OK?" Tyler asked Ronny.

"Yeah, now that you're here." Ronny nodded.

Mack looked up as Aliyah landed in front of him and kicked Ultreg in the stomach, sending him stumbling away. "Where's Dax?" he asked, noticing the blue Ranger wasn't with her or Tyler.

"Three guesses - first two don't count," said Aliyah, using her power to let Ultreg's attack go straight through her.

"Mira!" Mack breathed, angrily.

"Hey, there's still seven of us," said Rose, jumping over the red and white Rangers, and kicked Ultreg twice. "We can still take him."

"She's right," said Will, double teaming Ultreg with Rose.

Mack nodded and put his hand on Aliyah's shoulder. "Time to suit up," he said.

"You got it," said Aliyah. "Ty, follow my lead."

"All over it!" Tyler said, reaching for his tracker.

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Dax, your half hours up," called Mira as she bounced into the games room. She smiled upon seeing her boyfriend. "I'm here."

"Great. Have I got a surprise for you," said Dax, he held up the scroll. "Just let me take care of this first."

He put it in a carved box on Andrew's desk, and then set it inside a drawer. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes, your surprise." He held up two tickets to a Kira Ford concert. Aliyah had received them in the mail that morning, and had given them to him after he had explained Mira was a huge fan.

"Tickets to Kira Ford?" Mira gasped. "How did you get these?"

"I know a close personal friend of Kira's," said Dax, shrugging as if it was no big deal.

Mira smiled and hugged him warmly, although her eyes drifted back to the drawer that he had hidden the box with the scroll. She'd have to wait until he left to investigate it further.

"Listen, Mira, there's something I have to take care of," said Dax. "But, I'll meet you back here tonight for the concert, OK?"

"Sure," said Mira. "You be careful out there."

Dax nodded and headed for the door, although he didn't completely leave. Instead he snuck back in, and hid behind the mummy's tomb when he noticed Mira's attention had drifted away.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After being attacked by Mack, Will, Aliyah, Tyler and Rose, Ultreg finally landed a hit on Ronny, sending her flying through the air.

"Still no Dax?" she asked as Tyler helped her up.

"No, this is getting ridiculous!" said Tyler.

"Getting?" Will repeated. "This past ridiculous when he had us hand over the scrolls in the first place."

"He's in love!" Aliyah snapped. "If it had been Cam in Mira's position, I would have done the same thing."

"That's different," said Mack. "You've dated Cam longer."

Aliyah shook her head. "Time has got nothing to do with it," she said. "When you love someone as much as Dax loves Mira, you'll do absolutely anything to make sure that that person is safe. It's like protecting a piece of yourself by extension."

"So what do we do while we're waiting for Dax?" Rose asked.

"I have an idea!" Mack said. "Spencer, is the Hovertech Cycle ready for action?"

"_Fired up and ready to go._" Spencer answered.

"Sweet." Will grinned. "Spencer, hook me up!"

Aliyah nodded and turned to Mack.

"What's the second half of your plan, fearless leader?" she asked.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Back at the mansion, Mira opened the drawer and grabbed the box that Dax had put the scroll in. She was so into her job that she failed to see Dax re-enter the room.

"You know, for a while there, I really believed that it was me you wanted," he said, startling her.

"Not as much as the sword of Neptune." Mira smirked.

"Didn't I mean anything to you?" Dax asked, his voice breaking with each word he spoke.

Mira looked thoughtful, before she shook her head. "No," she said.

"Who are you, Mira?"

There was a faint purple glow and Mira changed from a beautiful innocent into a deadly villain.

"Miratrix," she said. "And you won't stop me. That's the problem with the human heart. It controls everything... and I control yours. Now out of my way, blue Ranger" She laughed and shoved Miratrix out of her way.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah groaned and rolled back to her knees.

"Dax better get here soon," she said. "I don't know how much more we can take of this."

"It's like he's super charged or something." Tyler agreed.

"He's absorbed the power of the first two scrolls," answered Mira as she arrived, although she didn't look like Mira. "Six of you could never stop him."

"I knew Dax was too good for her," said Ronny, forcing herself to her feet.

"Speaking of Dax," said Will. "Where is he?"

"I heard my name," said Dax, running towards his friends. "Did you guys miss me?"

Aliyah grinned and turned to Miratrix and her monster. "How about seven Rangers?" she asked. "Sure your monster can sustain that much power?"

"Give it up, Rangers," sighed Miratrix. "Thanks to Dax, we now have the three scrolls." She motioned for the monster to follow her and walked away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Aliyah shouted, running after her. She caught up with her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her around.

Miratrix shook her off.

"It is over, white Ranger, admit defeat."

"I'll admit it when it is true," said Aliyah. "Give me the scroll!"

There was a great bang from behind the two women and Aliyah knew that Ultreg was no more, she was about to say something to Miratrix when the villainess grabbed her pendant and asked it for help, next second Ultreg was back, bigger than before.

"Damnit!" Tyler swore, looking up. "You guys deal with ugly," he added to the others. "I'll help Aliyah."

"Right."

Tyler run off towards his cousin, who was again fighting Miratrix, while the rest of the team took to the Zords.

"Stop fooling around," shouted Miratrix as she swept Tyler's feet out from under him, and turned to Ultreg, "and finish what we started. With the sword power of Neptune." She held up the scroll, but nothing happened.

Aliyah grinned as Tyler helped her to her feet.

"What's the matter, Mira?" she asked, as Miratrix unrolled the scroll to see a picture of Dax instead of the sword of Neptune looking back at her. "Not what you expected?"

"It's a fake!" Mira yelled. "Dax, you tricked me!"

Tyler smirked and demorphed. He reached into his jacket and held up the real scroll. "Never underestimate a Ninja when it comes to a scroll. Guys, catch!"

He threw the scroll towards the Megazord and turned to wink at Miratrix.

"Jokes on you, bitch," said Aliyah.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Ultreg defeated and Miratrix gone - for now - the Rangers returned to the mansion, with Dax still feeling down about his fleeting romance.

"I'm sorry for doubting you, Dax," said Will, following the blue Ranger into the games room where the others were sitting. "I guess we all are."

"Hey, if it weren't for you guys keeping my eyes open," said Dax. "I might never have figured it out."

"But you did," said Tyler, patting his shoulder. "She gave herself away when she mentioned the Jewels; a disguise is only good if you are smart enough to remember you're in disguise."

Aliyah nodded. "You were great, Dax," she smiled. "I'm just sorry you got rejected like that, next time I see Miratrix, she's toast."

"Aliyah's got your back, dude," said Tyler. "Miratrix won't know what hit her."

Dax smiled. He knew full well that Aliyah had a streak of protecting her friends, especially against outside forces. "Thanks, guys," he said. "But I also need to apologize for letting myself get sidetracked. It'll never happen again."

"Yeah, it will," said Aliyah. "But this time it will be with the right girl."

"You think?"

"I know." Aliyah winked.

Dax smiled and nodded. "Now, let's check out this sword," he said, holding up the one of the scrolls. Aliyah and Tyler had the other two. They set them on the table and Rose put them in order.

A soft glow surrounded the scrolls and they transformed into a silver sword.

"Whoa," the team breathed.

"Oh no," said Rose, picking up the sword to examine it. "The jewel is gone."

"Great, now what?" Ronny asked.

Aliyah held her hand out to touch the sword, but had barely skimmed the surface when she pulled back. "Ow!" she cried. "It shocked me."

"Electric shock?" Tyler asked.

"No, like lightning."

The team frowned at looked back at the sword. Lightning sparked across the blade and the sword flew out of Rose's hands, across the room and embedded itself in the large map covering the wall.

"What the -?" Mack frowned.

"How did it -?" Dax started.

"Looks like it needed a kick-start," said Ronny.

Rose nodded. "Lightning storms are a natural occurrence," she said. "They can super charge anything. That is what you must have done, Ali."

"Great." The white Ranger grumbled, shaking her stinging hand.

"Where did the sword land?" Will asked.

Tyler crossed the room and removed the sword from the wall; he grabbed a marker pen and circled the indentation.

"Anyone ever been to St. Lucia in the Caribbean?" he asked, turning to grin at his friends.

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Mon****day, 16th September, 2013 at 03:21am**


	5. Weather or Not

**Author's Note:** Many of you have inquired if and when Cam will make an appearance. I can say that he _**does**_ show his face. But it's not until _**after**_ the Once a Ranger arc.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"Whoo! St. Lucia." Will cheered as he followed Ronny and Tyler into the games room. "Nothing like a mission to a Caribbean island paradise."

"Yeah, the beach is a little slow for me," said Ronny. "Unless i'm flying through the sand in a dune buggy."

"Hey," nodded Tyler. "Now that would be fun. Maybe Uncle Hartford can hook us up, what do you think, Ali?"

Aliyah looked up as she entered the room. "What?" she asked, tossing her white bag onto the floor beside the others.

"Do you think Uncle Andrew can hook us up with some dune buggies?" Tyler asked.

"Doubtful," said Aliyah. She hated bikes, and she only liked cars if someone else was driving. "You could ask though."

"That would be pointless," said Rose looking over the top of her book at her friends. "I don't think we'll be seeing many dune buggies where we're going. The southern part of the island is mostly dense jungle and forest."

Ronny sighed and Tyler squeezed her in a one-armed hug.

"This is so amazing!" Mack grinned walking into the room. He tossed his bag onto the floor beside the others and took a seat beside Rose. "Travelling deep into uncharted territory to locate a powerful jewel before the forces of evil can find it and use it against humanity. Oh, is this a high adventure or what?"

"Yeah, it's very exciting," said Aliyah, rolling her eyes.

"Not so fast!" Dax called running into the room and jumping onto the many bags already filling the floor. He landed with a heavy thud and looked up at his team-mates. "I read that St. Lucia is haunted."

"That's just folklore, Dax." Rose pointed out. She closed her book and put it away inside her duffel back, which she had to tug out from underneath the blue Ranger.

"Are those marbles?" Tyler asked, pointing at the bag in his friend's hands.

"Not just any marbles," said Dax. "They're my lucky marbles."

Ronny, Will and Tyler exchanged skeptical glances while Mack tried to assure the blue Ranger that they had nothing to worry about.

"Right, Aliyah?" Mack asked looking to his cousin.

Aliyah held her hands up in surrender. "I'm staying out of it," she said. "But according to some research I did last night, I read somewhere that there are ghosts on the island that like to hunt down spiky-haired men in blue clothing, who also have a passion for stunt work. I guess it's a good thing we don't have one of them on the team, huh?"

Dax paled and sat up straight.

"Hey, wait a minute, you just described me!" he yelped.

"I did?" Aliyah asked, feigning innocence.

Dax nodded.

"Oh," said Aliyah. "Well... sorry, Dax, but it was nice knowing you."

Dax's eyes widened and the other Rangers couldn't help but laugh in his expense, although they all knew it was wrong to encourage Aliyah in her infamous torture technique.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Moltor really has lousy timing," complained Will. He and the others were sitting in the SHARC on their way to Australia to deal with the molten hot-head who had nearly destroyed their city using molten lava from a man-made volcano.

"Trust me," said Aliyah. "They all do. No rest for the wicked, remember that."

"Didn't you face a monster once at 6:30am?" Tyler called over his shoulder. He was sitting at the controls with Ronny.

Aliyah nodded. "Yeah. Really sucked to be Beevil," she said. "I'm so not a morning person, not to mention she and Marah tricked Dustin."

"Ouch." Mack muttered whilst Rose and Dax exchanged fretful looks.

"So what does Moltor want in Australia?" Ronny asked.

"I think we're about to find out," said Tyler. "We're almost on target. Get ready to jump."

"Ready?" Mack asked, reaching for his tracker.

"Ready!"

"Overdrive, Accelerate!"

Once morphed, the Rangers prepared themselves for the descent and headed for the opening at the back of the plane. Ronny flipped the switch and the eight Rangers jumped, free-falling through the air before landing in front of Moltor and his goons.

"We've got to help him!" Rose said.

"Yeah! I'll save the driver," said Mack. "You guys go after Moltor."

"Gladly!" Aliyah shouted. She led the others past Mack and towards Moltor, who turned looking startled, although the look soon disappeared and he sent his small army to deal with the problem.

"Let him go!" Mack yelled, pulling the driver away from the Lava Lizards.

The Lava Lizards snarled aggressively and charged at Mack, forcing him and the driver towards the edge of the cliff.

"Mack!" Rose shouted as she noticed the dilemma her leader was in.

"Rose, look out!" Will called to the pink Ranger.

Rose turned and ducked as Moltor swung his sword at her head. He missed by seconds, and was rewarded with a swift kick from either side as Dax and Will came to Rose's defence.

"Ty, help Mack!" Aliyah said as she and Ronny rushed in to try and subdue Moltor.

Tyler nodded and raced off. He dived over Mack and the Lava Lizards, before jumping off of the cliff and catching the man by the arm before he became speared on the sharp rocks below. "Got ya!" He said, shifting into Ninja streak and landing on the beach below. "You alright?"

The man nodded and shook hands with Tyler. "Thanks, I thought only Ninja's could do that," he grinned.

"Yeah," said Tyler, nervously. "We Rangers are always full of surprises. Now get out of here, I got some lizards to fry."

"Thanks again," the man shouted as Tyler Ninja-streaked back up the face of the cliff and kicked the lava lizards away from Mack.

"Who wants some?" Tyler asked, summoning his drive defender to hand.

"Not so fast!" Moltor snarled, firing his blaster at both Tyler and Mack. He hit his targets and the two went down, landing on their stomachs on the ground. "Lava Lizards!"

The lizards that Tyler had taken out squawked and took something from the truck.

"Nice try, Power Rangers." Moltor said turning to face his fallen enemies. "Lizards, you know what to do with the machine."

There was a flash of fire and the group disappeared.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Oh man, that was brutal!" Dax said, rubbing his shoulder as he and others returned to base.

"I feel like all four of my tires have blown out," said Ronny, sitting next to Tyler on the step leading to the poles.

Tyler nodded, leaning back against the poles. "Yeah. I'm a Ninja, and have completed several hours of simulation training, but nothing can compare to this." He agreed.

"Get used to it," said Aliyah. "There's gonna be many days like today, and the final battle? That's always the worst for bruises."

"Is that supposed to cheer us up?" Will asked.

"I'm just telling you how it is." Aliyah shrugged. "What, you didn't think being a Ranger was all fun and games, did you?"

It was Will's turn to shrug. "They make it look so easy on the TV," he responded.

"You only see the fighting on the TV," said Aliyah. "You don't see the aftermath. When someone says 'I can turn you into a Power Ranger,' they actually mean 'I can turn you into a Rag Doll.' Because that is pretty much what happens, we get thrown around like rag dolls."

"You OK, Mack?" Rose asked, noticing the red Ranger looked upset.

Mack scoffed and shook his head. "No, i'm not OK. I blew it. If it wasn't for Tyler -"

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself." Tyler said. "That's why there are seven of us."

"What did Moltor want with that guy?" Dax asked.

"I didn't think it was the guy he was after," said Aliyah. "I mean, if you didn't notice, he didn't exactly take off after Tyler when the guy went over the cliff. The lava lizards took something from the truck," she looked to Andrew. "Do we know what?"

"A subatomic energy generator." Rose answered.

Aliyah blinked and looked at the pink Ranger. "Great," she sighed. "Geek speech. Where's Cam when you need him?"

"Basically it is something that is used to power another machine. We just need to figure out what he needs it for." Andrew said as Spencer walked into the base. He was soaked from head to foot and carrying some vegetables in his hands.

"Sir, this weather is relentless," said Spencer, outrageously. "First, the sun cooked my daisies. Then, this sudden downpour washed away my favorite melons. Something is terribly wrong."

Aliyah frowned and checked her phone. She brought up a web browser. Using a Google search engine she checked the weather broadcast and looked up at her uncle. "Can you get cable down here?" she asked.

"Yes, why?" Andrew asked. "I don't think now is the time to be watching TV."

"Not for that," said Aliyah. "There's a live broadcast going on about this sudden weather changes."

"So?" Will asked. "The weather changes all the time."

"But not like this." Aliyah said, shaking her head.

Deciding to follow his niece's lead, Andrew turned on the weather channel. The screen flickered to show a blonde woman giving a report.

"_Stifling heat and massive rainfall seemingly out of nowhere have washed away roads and knocked out power around the globe. The National Guard has been called in to regulate the chaos."_

"You think Moltor is tied to the weather?" Rose asked Aliyah.

"I think it's a lead we should consider." Aliyah nodded.

"I agree," said Andrew. "Until we figure out what Moltor is up too, and why he took the generator, I'm putting the Jewel quest on hold."

"What?" Will asked, shocked.

"I have a new zord to help you battle." Andrew continued. "Mack, it's got your name on it."

"Whoa, wait a minute," said Tyler. "Why does Mack get two zords? Shouldn't this new one go to me or Aliyah? I mean, we don't have Zords."

"Technically," interrupted Aliyah. "I have the Tiger zord. I don't need a Drive Zord."

"Well, then, _I_ don't have a Drive Zord," said Tyler. "Shouldn't this new one have my name on it?"

"You'll get your shot," said Andrew.

Mack looked from his father to his cousin and back again.

"No. Maybe you should give it to Tyler," he said.

"Look, I know you had some trouble out there," sighed Andrew. "But it is times like these that define a hero."

Mack sighed before nodding.

"Fine," he said. "Let's get this over with."

Tyler sighed and slumped back against the pole in defeat.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Heads up!"

Aliyah, Tyler and Ronny somersaulted into action by jumping over the lava lizards. Tyler blocked a sword strike, while Ronny spun around and kicked the lizard away from the green Ranger, their double dynamic had only gotten stronger since the Rangers trip to Atlantis, and they had been almost inseparable around Hartford mansion, almost to the point where Tyler was ditching Aliyah - something he had never done before - to hang out with the yellow Ranger.

"Not so fast!" Aliyah said kicking a Lava Lizard in the stomach as it aimed kick at Rose. The pink Ranger gave a start and spun around, ducking under another lizard and thanking the white Ranger for the save. Aliyah nodded before running off to deal with more lizards.

"Anyone seen Mack?" Will asked, joining the fight.

"He was with Andrew when we left," said Tyler.

"He'll be here." Aliyah assured the others. "Just keep fighting."

As the others continued to defend themselves, Mack arrived. He rushed at the lizards that were sneaking up on Aliyah and hit one with a spin kick, drove an elbow into a second, and then kicked it down.

"Red Ranger!" growled a Lava lizard; he looked to be the leader of the group.

Aliyah jumped and spun around, surprised to see Mack and the lizard fighting so close to her. She hadn't heard, seen or sensed them behind her. Maybe the weather was playing up with her Ninja senses; she'd have to ask Tyler if he was experiencing difficulties too.

"What are you doing to the weather?" Mack demanded, locking arms with the lizard.

"I'll never tell you." The Lizard answered.

Tyler pulled away from the Lava Lizard that he and Ronny had been fighting. He scoured the battlefield for Aliyah and waved her over as he caught her attention. "Thunderstorm formation!" he told her, pulling her away from the others.

"That's advanced Lightning technique," said Aliyah. "And don't we need help from the Thunder Ninja Academy for that? Last I checked Hunter was in Reefside, Leanne was in Ocean Bluff and Blake is touring with Factory Blue."

"We can do it ourselves," said Tyler. "It'll just take a lot of energy.""

"Energy we need!" Aliyah argued diving aside as the Lava Lizards attacked them. She grabbed one by the arm and crashed her knee into its face before tossing it aside.

Tyler shook his head and fought off his own lizards.

"We don't have a choice," he said. "Think of it as a graduation test. Once completed you've officially graduated the Lightning Academy."

"That's not fair," growled Aliyah. Tyler knew how badly she wanted to be an official Lightning Academy graduated but her chance at a ceremony and diploma had been taken away from her when the gates of the Underworld had crashed through and obliterated the Lightning Academy last year.

Tyler shook his head. "Life isn't fair," he said. "But we're the only two that can do this, and then we can let the others deal with the giant monster. After which we can get back to the main point of this mission. The Jewels."

Aliyah sighed and nodded. "Fine. Thunderstorm formation," she said breaking away from her cousin. "Guys, take cover!" she shouted to the rest of the team as she and Tyler extended their right arm into the air, fist clenched.

"Calling upon the ancient power of the gods," the two Lightning Ninja's shouted. "With the power of Thunder and Lightning ... THUNDERSTORM STRIKE!"

There was a loud clap of thunder, followed by a crash of white and black lightning struck the ground and supercharged the Lava Lizards, blowing them up.

"What was that?" Mack asked as the sky cleared.

"Tyler!" Ronny shouted, noticing how the green Ranger had demorphed and was lying on his stomach in the middle of the battlefield. She ran towards him, jumping over Aliyah and falling to her knees beside her friend and team-mate.

Ronny shook Tyler's shoulder, stirring him.

"Mhm? Ronny?" Tyler murmured, disorientated. "Did we get them?"

"Yeah, you got 'em." Ronny nodded.

Aliyah groaned and shook her head as she pushed herself upon to her knees, she, unlike Tyler, was still morphed, but severely weakened from the Lightning formation she had just performed. She was never doing it again, not without Thunder Ninja help anyway.

No sooner had the Lava Lizards been destroyed did the wind pick up, blowing the Rangers all over the place.

"The weatherman said 'sunny and warm.'" Dax said, looking up at the sky. "What does he know?"

"Funny, Dax," sighed Ronny.

There was a flash of flame and Moltor arrived with more Lava Lizards, one of which was carrying a weird looking machine.

"My weather machine has made me powerful." Moltor laughed.

"And a little nuts." Will muttered.

Aliyah shook her head. "He was already nuts," she said. "Now he is even nuttier."

"Nuttier's not a word," said Rose.

"Not the time, dude," replied Aliyah.

"After I destroy you, my brother will respect me." Moltor continued, as if the Rangers hadn't even interrupted him.

"All this because you want respect?" Aliyah asked. "Dude, respect can't be demanded. It's like trust, it's earned."

"Do you have any last words?" Moltor asked.

"What are you going to do to us?" Tyler asked, using Ronny and Dax as support. He was severely weakened from his Lightning Strike with Aliyah that he barely had enough energy to stand.

"I'm going to push the machine to its limits and destroy the living world." Moltor answered.

"You can't do that!" Ronny yelled.

"You'll drown the entire planet!" Rose nodded.

"That's right, pink Ranger!" Moltor smirked. He turned to the lava lizard that held the machine. "Engage the machine!"

"Come on, Rangers!" Aliyah shouted, summoning her sword. "Mack, stay with Tyler."

"But I can help!" Mack shouted.

"We need you as back-up." Aliyah said, diving over Moltor's sword. "Just stay there until we need you!"

Mack sighed and knelt beside Tyler. "She's only doing this because I screwed up this morning," he said.

"Nah, she's not, Mack," said Tyler. "Ali knows you've got the potential to be a true Ranger, and she always has a plan even when it doesn't look like she does. You're one of the strongest Rangers on this team; she needs to keep some strength behind in case things go sour."

Ronny and Rose groaned as Moltor struck them, knocking them to the ground. Aliyah, Will and Dax soon joined them.

Mack shot to his feet but hesitated as the sky darkened considerably above him.

"This doesn't look good," said Tyler looking up. Thunder clapped again and the rain started falling.

"What's happening?" Moltor yelled as the temperature dropped turning the rain to snow. The wind started to pick up causing a blizzard.

"The machine is doing it on its own," shouted Will. "We have to stop it!"

"You've lost control over your own evil device," shouted Aliyah. "No wonder your brother doesn't respect you, you're useless!"

"I don't know what to do!" Moltor yelled before fleeing the scene.

The others tried to go after him, but Aliyah held them back. "Wait, let's get some extra power," she said, reaching for her tracker. "Spencer, send the Zords, and prepare for Tyler's return."

"_What happened to Tyler?" _Andrew asked.

"He just needs some rest." Aliyah answered. "I'm sending him by his own teleportation sequence. He'll be unconscious when he returns."

"_We're standing by._"Andrew confirmed.

Aliyah nodded and rushed over to her cousins. "Mack, you and the others take the Zords," she said. "I'll send Tyler back, and then join you."

Mack wanted to ask her how she was going to help them during a Zord battle, but then remembered that she had said she had a Tiger zord at her disposal. "Alright," he nodded, taking to the Zords with the others.

"Alright, Ty, get ready for teleportation," said Aliyah.

"Hartford Mansion." Tyler said, imagining the Ranger base in his head. He then disappeared with a crack, which was lost in the high velocity wind.

With Tyler gone, Aliyah looked up to see the others were in trouble. "My turn," she said, summoning Saba. "Tiger Zord, warrior mode, activate!"

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

It was dark when she awoke.

Snow was mashed against the windows and not only was it casting shadows against her cockpit, but it was also preventing her from seeing out.

Aliyah groaned as she slumped back against her seat. She had demorphed with the impact of the rocks coming down from the mountainside, and her zord had tumbled into the crevice along with the Drive Zords.

"_What happened_?" came Rose's voice over the Trackers.

"_It's the curse of St. Lucia_." Dax answered.

"There is no curse, Dax," said Aliyah. "I was just pulling your leg."

"_What does it matter?_" Ronny asked. "_At least we survived._"

"_Let's get out of here!_" Will said, trying to turn on his Zord, but the battery died before he could even activate the drive gear.

"_Looks like the beach is going to have to wait._" Dax said.

"Oh, that reminds me," said Aliyah, snapping her fingers. "I forgot to pack my bikini. Thanks for the reminder, Dax."

"_I don't think now is the time to be worrying about the beach, guys,_" said Will. "_We have to figure a way out of here._"

Aliyah shook her head.

"Nah, Mack will save us," she said, confidently.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"I told you not to send me out there," shouted Mack as he stormed into the Ranger base. His father and Spencer were waiting for him, and he assumed Tyler was resting somewhere upstairs. "Look what happened. I lost the team."

"It's not over yet." Andrew said, trying to calm his son down. "The drill driver can dig them out."

"I can't drive that thing." Mack argued. "I'm not cut out for being a hero. You do it." He took off his tracker and handed it over to his father. "I quit."

"You can't quit," said Andrew. "With the other's missing, and Tyler out of commission, you're the only chance this world has."

Mack shook his head. "You're gonna have to find someone else," he said. "Because I can't." He turned toe and stormed out of the base, leaving his father and Spencer to watch him go.

"Now what do we do, sir?" asked Spencer.

Andrew shook his head. "Try and find the team," he said. "Check the emergency channels. Infrared satellite. Check everything. If Mack can see that the others are alive, he may reconsider his decision."

Spencer nodded and returned to his computer.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"I think we've found them, sir," said Spencer as his computer's alarm went off. "Yes, only on video. No audio communication."

Mack, who had returned to the base when the alarm had sounded, frowned and looked up at his friends on the big screen. Dax was playing with his bag of marbles. Rose was reading a book. Will was dancing to his music. Ronny was shuffling a deck of cards, and Aliyah was seemingly talking to herself.

"They're not scared," he said, confused. "W-Why aren't they scared?"

"Because they know that you're going to save them." Andrew answered. "They believe in you. So do we."

Spencer nodded. "I never doubted you for a second, red Ranger," he encouraged.

"They really believe in me?" Mack asked.

"Do you really find it that hard to believe?" Andrew asked. "When the team _first_ came together to fight the Lava Lizards and Chillers, Aliyah gave you the red Morpher, she could have taken it for herself, but she didn't. That shows that she trusts you with its power and leadership, and so do the others. Are you going to prove them wrong?"

Mack sighed and held out his hand.

"Give me back my Tracker," he said. "I got a hole to dig."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah blinked and looked down as the floor of her Zord started to rumble. "Something's happening," she said, frowning in confusion. "Something's coming. Guys, do you feel that?"

"_Yeah,_" said Ronny. "_What is it?"_

"_No idea._" Rose answered.

"_It feels like an earthquake._" Dax said.

"_Great,_" said Will. "_That's all we need._"

Aliyah gave a surprised gasp as something hit the window of her zord and the snow fell away, letting in the cold sunlight. When the snow had all cleared the white Ranger saw the drill driver parked a few feet away. "It's not earthquake," she grinned. "It's -"

"_MACK!_" Rose cried, happily.

"_Hey, you guys OK?_" asked Mack.

"_What took you so long?_" Will asked.

"_I had a little Zord trouble._" Mack answered.

"_I hate it when that happens._" Ronny laughed.

"_I hope you forgive me for bailing out,_" said Mack, nervously.

"_We knew you'd come back._" Ronny assured him.

Aliyah pretended to gag. "OK. This is seriously too much PDA for my liking," she said. "Let's Ranger up and get out of here, shall we?"

"_Yeah!_" the others agreed.

"_I won't let you down again._" Mack promised.

"Seriously don't think I won't hit you when I get out of here," warned Aliyah. "This love mesh is making my skin crawl."

The others laughed and reached for their Trackers.

"Ready?" Aliyah asked.

"_Ready!_"

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

It had been a few hours since Moltor's weather machine had been destroyed by Aliyah and the Tiger Zords warrior mode. Tyler was back to his full strength again, and had been waiting in the game's room for the rest of his friends to return from battle.

"How did you manage to do it alone?" Rose asked. "There's no way a Megazord can be that powerful!"

"Saba and I are," said Aliyah. "My Tiger Zord was created by the intergalactic being Zordon. He had created it in order to be controlled by the strongest Ranger on his team of Power Rangers, which, ironically, was the white Ranger. Then during a battle, it was believed the Tiger Zord, along with the rest of the Mighty Morphin Zords had been destroyed, when in fact my Zord was just locked away in a chasm waiting to be released when another Ranger, with enough power as its previous Ranger was born to control it. My boyfriend, Cam, unleashed the Zord in 2003 and I've controlled it ever since."

The Overdrive Rangers looked impressed.

But Will shook his head. "There's just one thing I still don't get," he said. "Why did you name your Zord?"

"The Zord isn't called Saba," said Aliyah. "My sabre-blade is." She summoned the tiger-headed blade to her and showed it to her Rangers. "I can also go one further," she added. "Saba, say hi to the newest team of Rangers."

"Hello, Rangers," said the blade.

The younger Rangers jumped in surprise, each in awe at the talking sabre.

"Now that," grinned Dax. "Is AWESOME!"

Aliyah laughed and put the sabre away, just as Spencer and Andrew entered the room.

"Are you ready to find the Jewel or not?" Andrew asked, looking around at the team.

"Oh, we are more than ready," nodded Mack. "Right, guys?"

"Yeah!" the team nodded.

"Like my father always said. 'It's not whether you fall down.'" Dax said, as he fell off the back of the couch. "'It's whether you get back up.'"

"You're father was a smart man," said Aliyah, as she folded her arms over her stomach, and slouched down in her seat.

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Thursday, 19th September 2013, 09:06pm**


	6. Pirate in Pink

**Author's Note:** Finished writing up Chapter 10 a few nights ago, and have started working on the next chapter for the Behind the Scenes story. So expect another update from Aliyah's deleted Dino Thunder adventure sometime tomorrow evening.**  
**

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Shout Outs:** Chapter goes out to the following: **gundam1.**

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"St. Lucia." Rose said, holding her tracker up as she and the other Rangers walked along the island's beach. "I've read a lot about this island."

"We know." Aliyah nodded, remembering the book that Rose had been reading since they had found out they would be going to St. Lucia.

"Hey, Mack, how about you get out that Map so we have some idea of what we're looking for?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah." Ronny agreed.

Mack nodded and pulled the map from inside his uniform. "My dad traded in some expensive artifacts for this," he said, unfolding it. "Hope it leads to something good."

"Guys, it's so obvious." Dax said, excitedly. "We got a crusty, old map to a remote island in the Caribbean. We gotta be looking for..."

"Pirate treasure!" Mack finished, equally excited as Dax.

"Oh! Yeah!" Will, Tyler and Ronny laughed.

Aliyah smiled and shook her head. "Well, they do say that 'X' marks the spot," she said, showing her own knowledge of Pirates.

"Yeah, right," said Rose, interrupting the other's fun. "All the relics from that era have been discovered."

"Not everything." Mack corrected her. "Some of those pirates were really clever."

"Not clever enough to bathe, from what I've read." Rose argued.

"This is why you shouldn't believe everything you read," said Aliyah. "Something's need to be experienced personally in order to enjoy it."

Tyler smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Is that why you never open a book?" he asked.

"Hey, I open books." Aliyah defended. "I just don't read 'em."

The others save for Rose who didn't look impressed, chuckled.

"Don't get your hopes up," the pink Ranger added, looking at Mack. "That map could lead us to a big, fat dead end."

"Party pooper." Tyler muttered as Rose walked away.

Ronny smiled and patted the green Ranger's shoulder as she and the others followed Rose. They hadn't walked far away from the seas edge when Will's tracker beeped, alerting them all to something up ahead.

"Hold up, guys. I'm getting a reading." Will said, running ahead. He knelt down beside a mound of sand and started to brush it away to reveal an old canon with a name printed on the side. "The Black Scabbard?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Oh!" Mack laughed excitedly. "I was right. This is a pirate ship."

"Wasn't the Black Scabbard the ship of Captain Brownbeard?" Tyler asked.

"I thought it was Captain Sparrow?" Dax frowned.

"Actually that was the Black Pearl," said Aliyah, kneeling beside Will and wiped more sand from the canon while Mack gushed about Brownbeard.

Rose scowled at the red Ranger. "That's all fiction, Mack," she snapped. "In truth, Brownbeard was nothing less than outlaw, as most pirates are, and he spent his life stealing and looting. He was nothing but a crook."

"Yeah, but he was a jolly crook." Mack defended. "See, Brownbeard's ultimate goal was to find the legendary eye of the sea jewel, but he died before he could find it. Some say that his ghost searches for it till this very day."

Dax shivered in the wake of Mack's story. "Ooh. Ghost Pirates. Now, that would make a great movie." He grinned.

"Wait a minute," said Ronny. "If Brownbeard wanted that jewel so much, it's got to have a lot of power. Who wants to bet that the eye of the sea is the first jewel of the corona?"

"I will." Aliyah said, holding out her hand. "But I bet that it's not."

Ronny frowned, shrugged and shook hands with the white Ranger.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Having completely left the beach and wandered further inland, the Rangers finally stopped as they reached a rope bridge crossing a gorge. Holding onto the rope, Aliyah climbed down the small incline and peered over into the darkened abyss.

"Looks like we're gonna have to cross," she said. "Unless you guys want to try Ninja-streak for the first time."

"Isn't Ninja-Streak supposed to be ninjas only?" Rose asked. "And doesn't it feel like you're insides have been left behind?"

Aliyah nodded. "The sensation doesn't last long," she added. "Hour max."

Rose smiled and shook her head. "I'll stick to crossing the bridge," she said. "Unless Tyler can teleport us across."

"I'm still getting used to teleporting myself around," said the green Ranger. "Who knows where we might end up."

"Looks like we're crossing then." Mack shrugged, looking at the bridge with uncertainty.

"Don't worry, guys," said Dax, stepping onto the bridge and grabbing the ropes. "I've done this thing a ton of times. It's actually kinda fun."

The blue Ranger started jumping up and down, swinging the bridge backwards and forwards, and proving that it didn't look as fun as he described.

"Yeah, but Dax, during the movies you're hooked up to a harness," said Tyler. "This is real life. There's nothing there to catch us if we fall, or the ropes snap."

"True." Dax nodded. "So, who wants to go first?" he added.

The Rangers hesitated, neither of them wanted to take the plunge and go first.

"Mack's team leader," said Tyler. "He should go first."

"You're the veteran." Mack replied.

Tyler pointed at Aliyah. "She's the veteran," he said. "This Ranger deal is new to me too."

The team turned to Aliyah.

Aliyah shook her head and pointed at Mack. "Hey, you wanted an adventure," she said. "Think of it as a scene from the Baron's Betrayal."

"I guess I'll go," sighed Mack, edging out onto the rope bridge. He kept his eyes on the far side of the bridge and willed himself to not look down. He was followed by Aliyah, Will, Tyler, Ronny, Dax and Rose.

"See? Pretty easy!" Dax encouraged.

"This is really high." Ronny said, looking down.

"Don't look down." Tyler told her. "Just keep looking ahe -" he cut off as the planks of wood disappeared from beneath his feet and the bridge fell down into gorge, smashing against the otherside. The rangers all screamed in surprise.

"It's actually kind of fun?" Will yelled down at Dax.

"Well, it was in the movies." Dax answered.

"Remember what I said about a harness?" Tyler shouted. "We don't have a harness."

Dax grumbled something as Mack looked down at them all. "Everybody, hold on." He called.

"Do we have a choice?" Ronny asked.

"She's got a point," said Aliyah. "Start climbing."

"What?" Mack asked in confusion.

"You're not that far from the top," said Aliyah. "Start climbing."

Mack frowned and reached for the plank above him. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, before pulling himself up, maintaining a firm hold on both the plank which was level with his chest and the one above him. He did this a few more times before finally hauling himself over onto solid ground.

"Help!" said Aliyah, grabbing onto the rope lining the side of the bridge. After Mack had started moving she had followed his example, silently thanking her rock climbing skills for the ability to scale walls, buildings - and in this case - gorges without falling.

Mack quickly grabbed Aliyah's hand and pulled her up onto the flat beside him. He then leaned over the side and reached down a hand to Will. "Will, grab my hand," he ordered. "Everyone else, grab the man above you and hold on.

The Rangers did as told and latched onto the leg of the Ranger above them. Then using his super strength, Mack pulled the five of them up onto solid ground. They landed in a heap behind Aliyah.

"I love those genetically enhanced powers." Mack grinned.

"Yeah, and I'm sure that your future kids will love them too." Aliyah teased, wiping her hands on her pant legs and looking back at the bridge. "Those ropes were secure when we started across, someone must have cut them."

"Or something." Dax added.

"Stop with the haunted-island stuff, Dax," snapped Rose, frustratingly.

"This island is haunted." Mack defended.

Rose sighed, rolled her eyes and stormed off again.

Aliyah groaned, motioned for the others to follow her, and rushed off after Rose. They weren't sure if the island was haunted or not, but it was better to stick together as team until they could figure out what the hell was going on.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Wait, let me get this straight." Tyler called from the back of the group. "We just left the southern side of the island, hiked up into the mountain, nearly lost our lives on a rope bridge, only to come back down the mountain and return to the beach? Why couldn't we have taken the short way around?" he asked, pointing at a turn off on the otherside of the beach.

"The map said to go up and then back down," said Mack.

"Besides, what does it matter? Some of us could use the exercise." Aliyah teased, winking at the green Ranger.

Tyler scowled and held his hands up as if he were to strangle the white Ranger. There was no way he was out of shape, he had spent most of his life training to be a top Ninja at the Lightning Academy, and training didn't come easy.

"Who wants to be the first one in the creepy cave?" Ronny asked, looking around at her friends.

"Not me," said Mack, taking a step back. "I crossed the bridge first, and look what happened."

"Yeah, but that could mean you have bad luck," said Aliyah. "I doubt anything will happen if you go inside here."

"Rockslide? Landslide? Cave-in?" Mack listed.

Aliyah rolled her eyes and walked forward. "Fine. I'll go first, at least if any of those happen while i'm in here, I can phase straight through." She shrugged.

"Good idea." Mack nodded following her lead.

The seven of them hadn't even made it past the entrance when a ghostly laugh echoed around them. Dax jumped and latched onto Aliyah, quivering with fear.

"It's just the wind." Aliyah grumbled pushing him away.

Dax shook his head and said, "I know what the wind sounds like, and that's not it."

"Well, whatever it is," said Tyler. "My timbers are actually shivering."

"_Shivering..._" the voice echoed.

"You're such a bunch of babies." Aliyah said looking back at the path in front of her. "You're supposed to be fearless Power Rangers and you're afraid of a ghost."

"They say Brownbeard haunts this island trying to scare away anyone else looking for the eye." Mack explained.

"Remind me to take away your library card." Rose sighed. "I told you, there's no such thing as Ghosts."

"Ahoy!"

The Rangers jumped in surprise as a man appeared behind them. He hadn't been there when they walked in, and they had been alone for most part of the trip. So where had he come from?

"Ye be lookin' at the most fearsome ghost of them all," the man said. "'Tis I, Brownbeard the Pirate!"

"I can't believe it. I've read every story that has ever been written about you," said Mack, excitedly. "You're a legend."

"You make an old sea dog blush." Brownbeard laughed. "'Tis a true pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, if you'd be so kind, get off me island."

"What?! We just got here." Dax exclaimed, while the others looked offended at the order. "We need to find the eye of the sea. Oof!" he grunted as Tyler and Ronny elbowed him in the gut.

"Aha! So ye are lookin' for the eye." Brownbeard said, pointing at the blue Ranger. "Well, you'll never get it. It's going to be mine, you hear? All mine!" he grabbed Dax by the collar and pulled him towards him.

Aliyah's hands curled into fists as she grabbed Brownbeard's wrist and twisted it, causing him to let go of Dax. "Back off," she snapped, shoving him away. "There's only one person who terrorizes these clowns and it's me, got it?"

"Ooh! Feisty!" Brownbeard laughed.

"Listen, we need that jewel for something very important," said Rose diverting Brownbeard's attention away from Aliyah and onto her. "So just stay out of our way."

"And who is this saucy, young beauty?" Brownbeard asked, looking back at Aliyah for an answer.

"The name's Rose," the pink Ranger answered. "And you're not fooling me with your phony pirate charm. I know you're nothing but a common thief."

Brownbeard grinned and grabbed her wrist. "A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet," he said, trying to kiss the back of her hand.

"See what I mean? He even steals from Shakespeare." Rose scoffed, looking at her friends.

"So? We do it almost every day," said Tyler. "All's fair in love and war. It's one of Aliyah's favourite sayings."

Aliyah shot her cousin a look. "I also enjoy the saying 'what goes around, comes around,'" she said.

"I tell ye one thing, girlie." Brownbeard said, interrupting the white and green Rangers, but he was still talking to Rose. "You will never find the Eye of the Sea."

"Oh, yes, we will," said Dax, pointing at Mack. "We've got a map... oof!" he doubled over as the air left his lungs. Rather than Ronny and Tyler hitting him this time, it had been Aliyah. "I'll just be quiet now."

"So ye do?" Brownbeard chuckled as Mack tried to hide the map. "What say we look for the eye together?" he suggested.

"What say we don't?" Aliyah retorted. "We don't need help."

"Ye sure, lassie?" Brownbeard asked. "I know this island like the back of me hand. I bet my lucky pearl we can find it."

"I don't trust you enough to accept your help. You'll just steal the jewel as soon as you get your grubby hands on it." Aliyah countered.

Brownbeard laughed again. "Got ye hands full with this 'un, don't ye?" he asked, looking at Mack.

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea," said Will.

"Aliyah's right," said Rose. "We don't need his help. We're alright on our own."

"Yeah, but he does know the island." Will defended.

"He also knew enough to cut those ropes on the footbridge, I bet." Rose pointed out.

"Ah, what can I say?" Brownbeard chuckled. "I'm a scoundrel."

"More like a rat." Aliyah said. "You could have killed us."

"Alrigh', alrigh'," said Brownbeard. "But I don't want to keep the Jewel. I just want to hold it in my hand once. So that my old spirit... finally rests."

"Aw." Ronny cooed. "How can we say no to that?" she asked, looking around at the others.

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "Actually, very easily," she said to the yellow Ranger. "It goes something like this - Brownbeard, we'd -"

"Love to have you aboard," said Mack, chuckling at his pirate joke.

"What?!" Rose demanded of her leader. "You know what? Do what you want, but count me out!" she stormed out of the cave and disappeared into the trees surrounding the beach.

Brownbeard paused before disappearing in a puff of blue smoke.

Mack bit his lower lip and looked back at the others, he stepped back as he found Aliyah glaring at him. "What?" he asked, shrugging lightly. "He wants to help."

"And you're just gullible to believe that's all he wants to do!" Aliyah snapped. "I just hope we find that Jewel before he does, or someone's gonna have to figure a way to resurrect a ghost so I can kill him again myself."

Mack looked alarmed as Aliyah stormed off.

"Don't worry, dude," said Tyler. "Aliyah's bark is worse than her bite."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Rose was really bad, huh?" Dax asked, stopping in the dense forestry and turning to his friends.

"She'll cool down." Will said.

"But we better keep following the map." Tyler added, taking the map from Mack and looking it over. "Hey!" he added as Aliyah swiped it from his possession and folded it up. "What did you do that for?"

"Because in my experiences," said Aliyah. "When someone says 'follow the map' something bad is about to happen."

"What are you -?" Tyler started, but was cut off as Miratrix and her new monster appeared ahead of them. "Oh."

Aliyah nodded and tucked the map away inside her uniform's pocket.

"I'll take that map, if you don't mind." Miratrix said, holding her hand out to Aliyah.

"Actually, I do." Aliyah growled, clenching her hands into fists and preparing to fight. "You want the map? Come and get it!"

Miratrix growled at Aliyah and ordered the monster beside her to open fire. It did as commanded, blasting the Rangers off of their feet. "Now hand it over, or there's more where that came from." She said.

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "You know, if the Power Rangers handed over everything to the bad guys," she said. "Then the world would have been taken over years ago."

"Give me the map!" Miratrix yelled.

"Not a chance!" Aliyah shouted ducking as Miratrix's sword missed her head by inches. The white Ranger bit back a snarl, and dropped to her hands, kicking up at Miratrix's legs. She pushed herself up and jumped back to her feet, turning 360 and running mid-way up the trunk of a tree, all the while with Miratrix swinging her swords wildly, hoping to hit Aliyah.

Tyler laughed. "You've got get up earlier in the morning to get Aliyah, dude," he said, before hitting the ground again as the monster blasted them. "Oh! Should have seen that one coming." He grumbled, trying to pick himself up.

Meanwhile, Miratrix had managed to catch Aliyah's ankle with her sword, sending the white Ranger crashing into a bed of leaves as blood seeped down her leg from the small cut just above her ankle bone. She growled and narrowed her eyes at Miratrix, as the woman took the map from her pocket.

"Thanks for the Jewel, white Ranger," smirked Miratrix. She straightened up and unrolled the map, but before she could take in a single detail from the paper, she fell forward as someone kicked her in the bottom of the spine. She let go of the map in surprise and it floated back towards the person who had attacked her.

Aliyah looked up and her eyes widened as she saw it was Rose. "Dude, what happened to you?" she exclaimed, earning the attention of the rest of the team. All of them were surprised to see Rose looking more like a pirate than a Ranger.

"Ahoy, mateys!" Rose laughed. "Rosie the Bold at your service."

"What happened to her?" Dax laughed.

"You'll not be taking this map, you wicked wench." Rosie told Miratrix, as she stuffed it inside her clothes.

Miratrix narrowed her eyes. "Think again, Matey," she mocked, before turning to the monster beside her. "Get her!"

Rosie blocked several swings and punches from the monster, before gaining the upper hand and pushing him away. She held up her hand a curved cutlass appeared in her palm, she swung it around and cut at the monster, causing sparks to fly as she came in contact with his armored blade. The monster hissed at her and tried to fire, but the bolts went straight through Rosie as Aliyah jumped in behind her and activated her genetically enhanced skills to save her friend.

"Thank ye, lassie," said Rosie, nodding at Aliyah and then charging at the monster again. "Why ye scurvy hunk of scrap iron! Back to the briny deep with ye!"

"Hey, don't you think we should help her?" Ronny asked as she and the others watched in awe.

"I don't think she needs it." Mack laughed. "It looks like she's enjoying herself."

Finally managing to get both Miratrix and the cannon monster in the same vicinity, Rosie kicked them both in the stomachs and sent them flying backwards, while she flipped over and landed amongst her teammates.

"This isn't over yet." Miratrix shouted, getting to her feet.

"That's it! Run before I keelhaul you!" Rosie shouted back.

Miratrix glared, snapped her fingers and disappeared along with her defeated monster.

"That was awesome!" Mack laughed, as Will and Tyler patted Rose on the shoulders.

"That was great!" Dax grinned.

"What happened to you?" Ronny asked her friend.

"I don't know, but I feel as jolly as a jaybird." Rose laughed. "Now let's go find us the eye of the sea," she added, passing the map back to Mack and walking off.

"What has gotten into her?" Will asked, laughing.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Rosie jumped down from the tree branch and scoured the ground. She squeaked in excitement and then pointed at a familiar looking indentation in the ground. "X marks the spot!" she laughed. "I'll bet my lucky pearl the Eye of the Sea is right here," she said to the other Rangers.

"Start digging." Ronny said, unfolding a shovel and digging a whole along with everyone, while Rose circled them. Suddenly, there was a loud thump as the shovels struck something solid.

"Aye, we found it!" Rose exclaimed helping them pull the chest out of the hole and brush the dirt from it. She then waited eagerly as Mack turned the key and unlocked the lock, before digging through the treasure.

"I don't see it," said Ronny.

"There is more here than meets the eye." Rosie smiled, pulling out a black box. She opened it to reveal a small clear crystal on a black velvet pillow. "Thar she be - the Eye of the Sea. It's more beautiful than I ever imagined."

"OK, Brownbeard, you said you just wanted to hold it once, and you've done it." Aliyah said. "Now we want the real Rose."

"Fair enough." Brownbeard nodded.

There was a cloud of blue smoke, and Brownbeard emerged from Rose and materialized into his normal form.

"Where am I? What happened?" Rose asked, looking down at herself. "I feel so... dirty."

"Dir -" Brownbeard looked offended, before he sniffed himself and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, but I haven't bathed for a few hundred years. Well, i'm off, and I'll be keeping the eye for meself."

"Woah, what happened to just holding it, and then letting your soul rest?" Ronny asked.

"Oh, that was a little lie. I always meant to steal it from ye. Now I must be shovin' off." Brownbeard answered. He turned to walk away but was forestalled by an explosion which knocked him and the Rangers off of their feet.

The Eye of the Sea flew into the air and landed at Miratrix's feet.

"Thanks for doing all the hard work for me, darlings," she laughed, picking it up. "It's all mine, baby."

"Wait!" Dax shouted, darting forward, but Miratrix snapped her fingers and she and the monster disappeared.

Aliyah let out a frustrated scream and punched Mack in the shoulder.

"Ow!" the red Ranger exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"For trusting the good for nothing rat." Aliyah snapped, shooting an icy glare in Brownbeard's direction. "Now, thanks to him, Miratrix now has the first Jewel to the Corona."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"I had it right in my hands!" Rose sighed as she, Mack and Aliyah walked into the Ranger base. "Oh, that thieving, good-for-nothing, deceptive, smelly -"

"I don't think Brownbeard meant for Miratrix to get the jewel." Mack defended.

"Maybe not, but it's because of him that she has it." Rose said. "Not to mention, his spirit taking me over and turning me into a pirate? How humiliating."

Mack and Aliyah exchanged looks.

"Are you kidding?" Mack laughed. "You were an awesome pirate. 'Arr! I'm Rosie the Bold! Arr! Yo-ho-ho...'"

"If you want to save your skin," said Aliyah, putting her hand on the red Ranger's shoulder. "Then cool it now."

Rose smiled faintly and turned back to the computer's mainframe. "Now, could we keep trying to track down Miratrix?" she asked. It beeped before she had even touched the console.

"It seems that you search is over," said Spencer. "Look."

"_Let's see what kind of power this thing has._" Miratrix said holding up the Eye of the Sea for the monster to take. "_Remember, after you destroy the city, I want it back._"

"_Yes._" The monster nodded.

"_No! I want it back._" Brownbeard shouted as he run into view. "_The Eye of the Sea is mine. I stole it fair and square._"

"Please tell me he's not gonna fight her... please tell me he's not gonna -" Aliyah sighed as she saw Brownbeard get blasted back by Miratrix. "Yep. Looks like he's gonna fight her. C'mon, let's go save that good-for-nothing little rat while there's still something to save."

"Wait," said Rose, catching Aliyah's arm. "Let me handle this one. I have a score to settle with him."

Aliyah and Mack hesitated.

"OK." Mack agreed. "But we're stepping in if you need backup."

Rose smiled, nodded and run off to help Brownbeard.

"Spencer," said Aliyah to the Butler. "Prep the Zords. I have a feeling we're gonna need them."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

_CRACK!_

Brownbeard jumped and turned around to see Tyler and Aliyah blocking the exit from the junkyard, they weren't morphed like the other Rangers, but he knew that Aliyah had bit of a temper, especially since she had dealt with him quite often back in St. Lucia, and the look in her eye right now made him shiver.

"Hand it over, Brownbeard." Aliyah said, holding her hand out for the Jewel. "It's not yours."

"Finders keepers." Brownbeard declared.

"We found it first!" said Tyler.

"I've been searching for it me whole life!"

"And we need it to protect the world!" Aliyah snapped. "What's more important to you? The precious Eye of the Sea or the fate of the planet?"

Brownbeard looked curiously down at the jewel. "It's really that powerful?" he asked. "That everyone wants it?"

"Yes," said Tyler. "If you don't give it to us now then you're island will be crawling with people. There's more than just the likes of Miratrix out there, you know. We can protect the Eye from them, but only if you give it to us."

"I don't really care about the island." Brownbeard laughed. "I've got my booty. See ya."

"BROWNBEARD!" Aliyah screamed as the ghost disappeared. "Son of a -"

Tyler covered Aliyah's mouth with her hand, cutting off any foul language that would've come pouring out. "Save it," he said. "The rat's gone. Besides, you're not gonna convince him by cursing at him. Pirates are highly sensitive to cursing."

"Yet they curse like the best of them?" Aliyah asked, shoving him away. "C'mon. The others should be finished with the monster. Rose is not gonna be happy."

"That makes two of you." Tyler said.

Aliyah growled.

Tyler held his hands up in defence.

"I was just saying," he sighed, hoping she wouldn't hit him.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"He fooled me again, and I was just starting to trust him." Rose sighed leading the others into the dining room.

"This is why I don't trust anyone." Aliyah said, sitting down opposite Rose. "You don't get your hopes crushed so often."

Ronny frowned. "But you trust us, right?" she asked. "I mean, we can't be Rangers if we don't trust each other."

"That's different," said Aliyah. "You have to have my back on the battlefield. But I don't trust you enough to stand up for me in everyday situations."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Will frowned.

Aliyah shook her head. "No. If you misjudge me in battle then you could get us all killed. But everyday life is different. I've been betrayed and fooled around with enough to know that no one can be trusted for a long period of time."

"Except me." Tyler said, wrapping his arm around Aliyah's shoulders. "You trust me, right?"

"Do I have a reason not too?" Aliyah asked.

Tyler shook his head. He had always been there for Aliyah, he had only lied to her once in their entire lives, and that was when she was a Dino Ranger and Lothor had returned from the Abyss of Evil, he had lied to her because Rebecca had told him not to say anything about Hunter, Blake and Cam going into the Abyss to collect the Ninjas powers.

"Then yes, I trust you."

"How long will it take for you to trust us?" Ronny asked.

Aliyah shrugged. "I'm still learning to trust again," she said. "On and off the Battlefield."

"Well, maybe this will help you trust me a little more, lassie," said a ghostly voice and, next second, Brownbeard appeared before the Rangers.

"Good heavens, a buccaneer." Spencer said, taking in the pirate with his own two eyes. "Shall I prepare a tankard of lemonade?"

"Ha!" Brownbeard grinned, pointing at the butler.

Aliyah shook her head. "That won't be necessary, Spencer," she said. "Brownbeard's not staying because he's not welcome here."

Brownbeard frowned and cleared his throat. "Look, I may be a scoundrel, but I am not a rat," he said, looking pointedly at Aliyah. There had been a number of times that she had compared him to the flea ridden vermin.

"That's debatable." Aliyah scoffed.

"I believe this is what you're looking for." Brownbeard continued, handing the Eye of the Sea over to Rose. "I never meant to cause harm."

Rose smiled. "I believe that," she nodded. "Thank you."

"Hmph!" Aliyah said, folding her arms and turning away. She couldn't help but feel that she and Tyler had got through to Brownbeard somehow, but that still didn't mean she was going to apologize for the way she had acted and treated him during the course of the day.

"That's gotta be it!" said Will, snatching the Jewel from Rose and forcing it into the hole on the sword. But the hole was a circle, and the Jewel wasn't.

Dax frowned and leaned back in his chair. "It doesn't fit," he said, stating the obvious.

"All that for nothing." Ronny sighed.

"Well, if that's not the Jewel you're looking for, then..." said Brownbeard, twirling his beard around his finger suggestively.

"Keep it." Rose said, holding the Jewel out to him. "From one pirate to another."

"Thank you, missy." Brownbeard smiled. "But I'll not be taking things unduly anymore. I offer ye something in exchange." He fussed around inside his shirt, and pulled out a small white pearl. "Ah. Me lucky pearl. May it bring ye good fortune in all your journeys."

The second the pearl touched Rose's hand, the Trackers beeped, alerting the Rangers, Spencer and Brownbeard to a Jewel signature.

"No fracking way!" Aliyah breathed, opening her tracker to see the number 100 flashing back at her. She reached over and took the pearl from Rose, and slotted it into the handle of the sword. There was a flash of golden sparkles and the pearl transformed into a Jewel.

"That's it!" Tyler laughed. "The pearl is the first Jewel of the Corona."

"Well, blow me down." Spencer said, making the Rangers and Brownbeard laugh.

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Friday, 27th September, 2013 at 04:22am**


	7. At All Costs

**Author's Note:** The start of the Tyler/Ronny pairing. Love it.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Dedications:** Chapter goes out to the following: **andrewjeeves **and **Ilana Lunus** for adding this story and/or me to their alerts. Appreciate it mates.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"Keep up the pace. Only another mile to go." Spencer told the Rangers as he rode alongside them in a golf cart. He had told Mr. Hartford that he would supervise the team during their morning jog to make sure that they didn't slack off - Aliyah had a tendency to walk the trail, rather than jog it.

"Want to get out of the cart and jog along with us?" Will gasped as he tried to keep up.

"I do many things around the Hartford estate," said Spencer. "Jogging is not one of them."

"Lackeys." Aliyah snickered, pulling ahead. "See you all at the finish line."

"Hey, wait up!" Tyler shouted racing off after his cousin as she picked up the pace. Aliyah was a fast runner, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was a Ninja, but more to do with the fact that she was really athletic.

Ronny gasped and looked around at the rest of her team-mates. "Are you really gonna let them run off like that?" she asked.

"Yep." Rose breathed.

"They're used to this sort of training exercise," said Will. "Let them go."

Dax made an odd noise; he was too exhausted to answer properly.

"Well i'm not." Ronny said, running faster to catch up with the two Ninjas. She had only gone a short distance, and was less than a hundred feet away from Aliyah and Tyler, when Mack appeared beside her.

"Hey," the red Ranger grinned. "Couldn't let you guys have all the fun."

Ronny grinned. "Ready take the pace to the next level?" she asked.

Mack nodded and he and Ronny sprinted after Aliyah and Tyler.

"What did you guys do? Sprint?" Tyler asked as Ronny and Mack appeared beside them.

"I did," said Mack. "But Ronny's got super speed on her side. She doesn't have to sprint."

Ronny smirked. "I don't need super speed to beat you guys," she laughed, racing ahead. Even Aliyah, who was faster that both Mack and Tyler put together, couldn't reach the speed she was going.

"Woah!" Aliyah squeaked as she felt something hit her in the back of the legs and send her tumbling to the ground. She groaned and rolled over to see Mack and Tyler lying on their stomachs. "What happened?" she asked.

"He tripped." Tyler said, pointing at Mack.

Aliyah sighed and shook her head, before looking up to see Ronny had disappeared. "Great, beat out by yellow," she grumbled.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Clutching stitches in their sides, the rest of the Rangers trudged into the games room to see Ronny playing a video game. She looked fresher than she had done when she was running, a clear sign that she had already showered and changed clothes before setting up the game.

"Hey, what kept you guys?" she grinned back at them. "I'm on my second game already."

Tyler scowled before throwing his towel at her.

"Ew. You're all sweaty." Ronny grimaced pinching the towel between her fingers and throwing it to the floor, and then going back to her game.

Aliyah shook her head and breathed in sharply as a pain struck her side. "Ow, side stitch," she whined. "I'm gonna go lie down for a bit. Call me if there's trouble."

"You'll hear the alarms." Tyler called after her.

"In that case," said Aliyah, reaching the stairs. "Come get me. I might be sleeping."

"It's 11:00am." Will frowned.

Aliyah shrugged and started to climb the stairs. "Just call me," she shouted down to them. "Oh, and watch out for Dax, he looks like he's gonna -."

_CRASH!_

"- collapse."

Tyler, Mack, Rose and Will looked around to see Dax lying on the floor behind the couch. His face was pale, his eyes were closed and he looked exhausted.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Five." Dax grinned and moved his token five spaces along the board. He had been playing the game with Ronny, Tyler, Will and Rose for little over an hour now, and wasn't that far behind Ronny for the win. "Yes, yes, yes! I win a convertible Amonnageeja. Uh, Amonna - Amonna - Amonnageeza..."

"Ameranarmageny." Rose laughed. "If you can't pronounce it, how do you expect to drive it?"

"He can't drive it. It's plastic and an inch long." Will said.

"Yes, and it's mine, all mine." Dax grinned, taking his car and kissing the top of it.

Just then the doors opened and Aliyah wandered in. She wasn't wearing her Overdrive uniform like her friends, but had changed into a pair of white shorts and a long green t-shirt, which was obviously two, sizes too big for her.

"Hey, what's going on?" she asked.

"Dax is declaring his love for a car," said Tyler. "Since when do you wear green?"

Aliyah frowned. "What car? That car?" she asked, pointing at the one in the blue Ranger's hands. "It's plastic and an inch long and I only wear green when Cam's not around."

"I'm guessing that's his shirt?" Rose asked.

"Yup. I nicked it from his closest on my last night in Blue Bay Harbour," said Aliyah. "It's one of my favourites - I wonder if he's noticed yet?"

"If it's one of his favourites," said Will. "He probably has."

"Ah, no, I said it was one of _my_ favourites." Aliyah corrected.

Rose shook her head. "How can it be your favourite?" she asked. "It's two sizes too big."

"That's the whole point." Aliyah smiled. "And it's the shirt I borrowed off him back on the Ninja Storm team, we weren't together at the time, but it was during the time where I did start to like him. We were attacked by a Kelzacks and I ended up in a lake, soaked through to the bone. Cam lent me his t-shirt while my clothes dried."

"Aw, cute." Rose cooed.

Ronny, meanwhile, rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, sounds like a wonderful story," she said, impatiently reaching for the dice. "But if you don't mind, Aliyah, we're in the middle of a game, and it's my turn. Someone pass me the dice - thank you. Seven." She moved her token seven spaces and reached for a destiny card as instructed. "Take one possession from any player."

Dax, who was pretending to drive his car, paused as his friends turned to look at him. First he thought that they were all wondering why he was driving an imaginary car, but then he saw the glint in Ronny's eye and everything fell into place.

"No!" he cried, grabbing his car and jumping from his seat.

"Looks like game over." Aliyah said taking the vacated seat and watching Ronny count her money. "Is winning really that important to you?" she asked.

"Um, yeah. Winning is what winners do." Ronny answered. "You're a competitor; you know what it is like to win. Where's your competitive spirit."

"I check it at the door when i'm with my friends." Aliyah answered.

Ronny frowned, but before she could respond Mack and Andrew walked into the room. The latter was pushing a table with a box on it.

"Game time's over." Andrew said. "Anyone interested in testing out the new blaster, besides Mack?"

Mack grinned and opened the case.

"Wow." Will nodded.

"Check it out." Ronny grinned, running her hands over every inch of the blaster.

Aliyah clapped Tyler on the shoulder. "Looks like you've got competition, dude," she teased, earning a poke in the sides.

"Count me out." Rose said. "I've got a play date with Spencer, testing Zord motherboards."

"Nap time." Will said.

"It's three in the afternoon," said Aliyah, remembering her had said the same thing to her that morning.

"I need my beauty rest. If you looked half as good as I did, you'd take nap times too."

"I don't need beauty sleep to look like this," said Aliyah. "It's all natural."

"Ooh!" Tyler and Mack laughed.

Will shook his head and patted Dax on the back as he headed for the door. The blue Ranger sighed and shook his head at Andrew and Mack.

"Sorry. I'm taking some me time to get over the loss of my car." He handed his toy car to Ronny.

"Aliyah, Tyler?" Andrew asked, looking at his niece and nephew.

Aliyah looked from Mack, to Ronny and then down at the blaster. "I know better than to come between these two and the new toys," she said. "I'm gonna head back upstairs, may even Skype Cam, Tori or Vida to check in."

"Ty?" Andrew asked.

"Count me in." Tyler grinned, looking from his uncle to Mack, and then finally to Ronny.

The Yellow Ranger looked positively delighted.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Are you sure you don't want me to fire the blaster now?" Ronny asked impatiently. She was standing on the opposite side of a glass panel with Tyler, and was watching Mack, who was fully morphed; prepare the blaster for its second attempt. The first one had blown Tyler across the room and crashed him into the stone wall of the firing ranges.

Tyler rolled his shoulders and breathed in sharply. "Don't be in such a rush, Ronny," he said. "That things got a bigger kick than expected."

"Maybe for you." Ronny said. "But I can handle a blaster than anyone."

"_As much as I appreciate the confidence and enthusiasm, Ronny,_" said Andrew from the Ranger base, he was watching the whole scene unfold on the computer's database. "_You're just going to have to be patient and wait your turn._"

"But -"

"Ooh!" Tyler winced, cutting the yellow Ranger off and looking to see where Mack had landed. The red Ranger groaned and rolled over onto his stomach as the blaster landed on the floor beside him.

Ronny chuckled as she and Tyler hurried out to Mack, but while the green Ranger stooped to help his leader, she raced towards the fallen blaster. "Nice try, Mack," she said, picking it up. "My turn."

"Ugh!" Mack coughed as Tyler helped him back to his feet. He turned to tell Ronny to watch herself but she had already fired the blaster. The beam of energy bounced around the room and then shot back at the Rangers, knocking them all off their feet once again.

Tyler shook his head as he pushed himself to his knees.

"That went well," he grumbled.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah entered the Ranger base just as Tyler, Mack and Ronny returned from the ranges. "How's the new blaster?" she asked, adjusting her Uniform jacket until she felt comfortable.

"Apparently, even in Ranger mode the drill blaster's too strong." Andrew answered.

"I could get used to it." Ronny defended.

"It blew you across the room, Ronny." Mack pointed out.

"It blew us all across the room." Tyler corrected more to defend Ronny than anyone else.

Aliyah rolled her eyes as she realized Tyler was still playing Ronny's hero. "So what do we need to do in order to get the blaster working?" she asked Andrew.

"Hartford Industries is developing the stabilizing shield." Andrew answered, bringing up a picture on the computers. "It will neutralize the kick in the drill blaster by dispersing the impact."

"But..." Aliyah pressed sensing there was more to the shield than met the eye.

"There's a problem," said Andrew.

"Isn't there always," muttered Tyler.

Aliyah elbowed him in the stomach. "What kind of problem?" she asked.

"I need something with enough energy to power the shield." Andrew answered. Just then the alarms sounded and the computers flashed red. They changed again, showing the four Rangers and Hartford an army of Lava Lizards in a near-by rock quarry.

"Call Rose, Will and Dax," said Aliyah. "You three, let's go."

Mack, Ronny and Tyler nodded, and followed Aliyah from the base.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Fully morphed, the Rangers reached the scene and hid behind a rock to watch the events happening beyond.

"They're fighting each other." Tyler pointed out, confused.

"Want to bet on which one you think is going to win?" Ronny asked. "I'll take the ugly one."

"And that one is?" Rose asked.

"Hang on," said Aliyah, turning to the yellow Ranger. "You still owe me for our bet in St. Lucia. I bet that the Eye of the Sea wasn't the first Jewel of the Corona, and I won. Pay up, Dude."

"I don't have money on me right now." Ronny said. "You can have it when we get back."

Aliyah narrowed her eyes. "Don't think I won't collect, Robinson," she said.

"I'm shaking." Ronny teased, pretending to quiver, although she couldn't help but feel disappointed that she had lost. She never lost a bet before.

Hearing whispered voices; Moltor looked around and growled as he spotted the group of eight watching him. "Meddling Rangers," he yelled, blasting them and sending them all crashing to the ground.

"Next time," said Mack. "Keep the conversations to a minimum while in battle."

"We're not in battle." Ronny defended.

"And I was just declaring my wins." Aliyah nodded.

Mack shook his head. "Save it for later," he ordered, summoning his Drive Lance and jumping to his feet. But before he could take a defensive step forward there was a flash of energy and all but one Lava Lizard was destroyed.

"Oh, boy," said Dax.

Moltor laughed and approached his victor. "Excellent, my champion," he said. "Now - your reward." He raised his sword and fired a stream of flames at the lizard, engulfing him and causing energy to ripple off of him in streams.

"That looks uncomfortable." Rose said.

"It's just an experiment." Moltor laughed. "You may not make it, but if you do, you will be the most powerful lizard of them all!"

The little lizard grew bigger, shedding its outer skin like a snake, and revealing a more pointed and spiky one underneath.

"It worked!" Moltor laughed with excitement. "I shall call you Volkon!"

"And here was me thinking he was gonna say Fireheart." Aliyah whispered, before jumping to her feet and summoning her Drive Sabre. "C'mon, Rangers!" she encouraged, running out from behind their rock and charging the new monster, but before they could get within striking distance they were struck themselves by Moltor.

"Come, Volkon." Moltor said, jumping to his dragon's side.

They turned to walk away but were challenged to stay and fight by Mack and Aliyah, both of which refused to go down without a fight.

Volkon laughed and blasted both red and white Rangers with his furious flaming fists, causing them both to demorph as they hit the ground for a third time. He then turned away with Moltor and the two disappeared in a flash of flame.

"Aliyah!" Tyler shouted, skidding to a stop beside his cousin.

"Mack, you alright?" Will asked, helping his leader stand.

"What is that thing?" Dax asked.

Mack shook his head and looked around at the others, before turning back to the place where Moltor and Volkon had disappeared.

"Maybe our end," he said, although he desperately didn't want to believe it.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Mack looked around at his father, Spencer and the other Rangers as they all stood in the Overdrive base. They were discussing the Lava Lizards weird behavior when they had been fighting each other and not paying the Rangers any attention.

"They just completly blanked us," said the red Ranger. "Like we weren't even there."

"Yeah. It was completed rude." Aliyah agreed. "We've taken time off from our busy lives to fight these goons, and they can't even commend with the rules to fight us."

"There are rules?" Dax asked.

Aliyah frowned at him. "Sarcasm is lost on you," she said, while shaking her head.

"It sounds similar to some early tribal customs." Andrew explained. "Warriors of the same tribe would battle amongst themselves for riches or power."

"Thank goodness that we've evolved from there," said Ronny, earning herself some odd looks from her teammates and mentor. "What?"

"_Some_ of us have evolved from there." Aliyah corrected, before turning to her uncle. "Did you figure out your problem with the drill blaster?"

Andrew's face seemed to brighten at the mention of his new toy. "Actually, I have," he nodded. "First, I needed to find a dragon's scale."

"What?" Will asked, laughing in disbelief.

"You know, in Gaelic writings, it is stated that a scale from a dragon holds enough energy to light the world." Rose explained.

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "Where was that knowledge last year?" she asked. "Do you know how many times the city of Briarwood was without power because of a monster attack? And we just kept poor Fireheart locked up until we needed his help."

"Dragons don't exist." Will said, turning to look at Rose. "And neither do their scales."

"I beg to differ." Aliyah said. "Remember when I mentioned Fireheart? Yeah, well, he's a dragon. He lives in my old home in Briarwood city. He's the dragon you need a scale from, isn't he?" she added to Andrew.

"I've managed to purchase a scale from a record-store owner."

"The record-store wouldn't happen to be the Rock Porium, would it?" Aliyah asked.

Andrew looked impressed. "You know it?" he asked.

"Know it?" Aliyah scoffed. "I only spent half of my time there over a year ago. Toby Slambrook owns the shop, my friends and cousin, Nick work for him. Although Nick is currently in New York with his adopted family at the moment."

"Well, when the time comes," said Andrew, continuing on from where had had left off. "I'd like Mack to be the first to try it."

"Mack?" Ronny repeated. "Look, I can do anything he can do, and chances are I can do it better. I've proved myself over and over again. And on the range, I have the highest scores."

"I know all of that Ronny," said Andrew. "And -"

"It's OK, Dad." Mack interrupted. "Ronny can go first."

Ronny looked pleased, while the other Rangers exchanged look. They all knew she had a competitive nature, but it was starting to get a tad annoying for their tastes.

"Wait, how and when do we need to get the scale?" Dax asked.

"It's being shipped over this afternoon." Andrew answered. "When it is time for transporting, I want you all to go and escort it back."

Aliyah looked thoughtful. "Been there, done that," she said. "Ended in a lot more bruises than I could count. Moltor will be waiting for us, and chances are it'll be an ambush."

"So what do you suggest?" Andrew asked.

"A diversion." Aliyah grinned.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Ronny smiled as she spotted Tyler in the games room. He was packing his duffle bag for the trip to Briarwood with Aliyah. She and Mr. Hartford had managed to come up with a plan to fool Moltor and get the dragon scale back to the Mansion without inconvenience.

"Hey, Tyler, you up for a game of fooseball before you leave?" the yellow Ranger asked, kneeling behind the couch he was sitting on.

"Uh, sorry, Ronny, but I can't right now." Tyler answered. "Aliyah wants to leave as soon as possible. I think she's hoping to stop in Blue Bay Harbour to pick up a few things before coming back here, personally I think she just wants to drop in at the Wind Ninja Academy to see Cam."

Ronny smirked. "Uh-huh, are you sure it's not that, uh, you're afraid?" she teased, poking him in the side.

"No, i'm not afraid." Tyler chuckled.

"Well, then, you'll play with me." Ronny insisted. "C'mon, Aliyah won't mind one game. I'm sure she can wait a few minutes while I kick your ass."

Tyler sighed and lay back into the couch. "To be honest, Ronny," he said. "You're cute, and I love spending time with you, but your competitive spirit kinda takes the fun out of playing any game."

Ronny frowned, although her heart skipped a beat when he called her cute, but she still felt hurt at his words. She was fun to play with, right?

Spencer cleared his throat as he entered the room. "Master Tyler, Miss. Aliyah has requested that you join her on the SHARC now, or she's leaving you behind, and Mr. Hartford would like you, Ronny, to join the other Rangers in escorting the fake dragon scale from the warehouse. We must keep up appearances."

"Yes, Spencer," said Tyler, getting to his feet. He grabbed his duffle bag and smiled at Miss. Ronny as he left the room.

Ronny followed him, but paused in the doorway and turned to the butler. "Spencer, am I fun to play with?" she asked.

"Like a moldy bag of rocks, Miss." Spencer answered, truthfully. Ronny's face fell completely as she walked out to join the others. "Perhaps I should have lied…" the butler added, feeling bad.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Having fallen for the diversion, Moltor had successfully stolen - what he believed - to be the dragon's scale from the delivery men when the Rangers arrived.

"Not so fast, Flame boy!" Rose yelled, brandishing her drive defender.

"That's right. That scale belongs to us." Dax added

"We'll see about that." Moltor retorted. He snapped his fingers and sent his newest creation in to deal with the meddlesome fools. Volkon landed amongst them and knocked them all down with little-to-no effort.

"Drive Slammer!" Will summoned, getting to his feet. He swung the hammer around and hit Volcon with it. But the dragon was prepared for the attack and grabbed the hammer, ripping it from the black Rangers hands, and swung it around in revenge.

Will gasped and held his hands up in defence, but the attack never came as Ronny dived in front of him, slashing at Volkon with her Drive Claws. But they had no effect on the dragon's tough hide.

"Oh man!" Ronny breathed, screaming in surprise as the dragon wrapped his arms around her. She struggled relentlessly but the dragon just wouldn't let go. He threw her away from him, and then blasted her for good measure.

"Ronny, are you alright?" Dax asked, as he and the other Rangers scrambled to help their friend. "I hope Aliyah and Tyler hurry. We need help."

Mack nodded. "Yeah. C'mon, we have to buy them some more time," he said, summoning his drive lance and rushing at the monster. He ducked under a punch and jumped into the air, spinning around and landing behind the dragon, Mack swung his sword at the spines coming from his skin, and the monster cried out in agony. "I found a weak spot - fire at his back!" he called to the others.

Summoning their drive defenders, the Rangers fired at the back of the Dragon. Sparks flew and the dragon tossed Mack aside before falling to its knees.

"Hey, we hurt him!" Ronny breathed in surprise.

"No!" Moltor shouted.

"His back is vulnerable." Mack said, preparing his lance for another strike. He jumped forward to attack but was cut off by Moltor.

"Leave him alone!" he snapped, slashing at Mack several times before knocking him back towards the others. They regrouped, but were blasted off of their feet when Moltor fired his flames at them again.

When Volcon had made it back to his feet, although he was still hissing in pain, Moltor returned to his side and steadied him. "You'll have your revenge, Volkon," he said, acting like a father would a child, before disappearing in a flash of flame and taking his pet with him.

"They're gone." Will groaned.

"And they took the scale," said Rose.

"How long before they figure out that it's a fake?" Ronny asked.

Dax shrugged. "I don't think we'll have to wait too long to find out," he said.

"Dax's right," said Mack. "Moltor will allow that dragon to heal, and then he'll try and use the scale to make him stronger. Now we really need Aliyah and Tyler to return, as quickly as possible."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah and Tyler crossed the magical barrier separating Briarwood and magical forest. Despite all magical beings being accepted by humanity here in the city, the barrier was something that would never fade, it had been around too long, and created by magic to just fade away.

"How are you going to explain your arrival?" Tyler asked Aliyah as they looked up at the front of the Rock Porium. People passed them on the street, some didn't even give them a glance, but others had stopped to stare at them. Mostly because they were still wearing their Overdrive Uniforms.

"I told Andrew that we should have changed first," said Aliyah. "And, to answer your question, the guys already know the 411 about me. C'mon, the sooner we get the scale from Toby, the sooner we can go help the others against Moltor."

Tyler nodded and followed Aliyah down the steps and towards the main door of the Rock Porium. They side-stepped a couple coming out, and then entered the rocking store themselves. There were customers everywhere and not just human ones either. Fairies flittered around, while Troblin's and Goblins grumbled between themselves. Phineas, who was half and half, lingered far away from his relatives with LeeLee at his side.

"Welcome to the Rock Porium, how may I - Aliyah?"

Aliyah looked around and smiled as Xander stood behind her. "Hey," she said, accepting a hug from the former green Ranger. "How's it going?"

"What are you doing here?" Xander asked. "I thought you were living in San Angeles now?"

"I am. I'm actually here to see Toby, is he around?"

"He's in the back office, as usual."

Aliyah smiled and patted Xander's chest. "Thanks, X," she nodded. "I'll be right back, Ty."

"Don't take too long." Tyler called as she walked away. He then turned to Xander and nodded. "Tyler Chambers, Aliyah's cousin."

"Yeah, she talked about you." Xander nodded. "A lot. Xander Bly. Best friend."

"She talked about you too. Former green Ranger, right?"

Xander frowned. "How did you -?" he cut off as he remembered that nearly everyone in Briarwood knew that he and his friends were Rangers, simply because they had helped them regain their magic during the final battle against the Master.

"There are no secrets in the Ranger family." Tyler answered. "I'm your successor."

"Wait, you're a Power Ranger?" Xander asked.

"Yep. Work for Operation Overdrive in San Angeles. Aliyah's the new white Ranger."

"So she finally got her colour back." Xander grinned. "That would be why she's so happy."

"Who's happy?" asked a small petite girl, as she walked over. She had seen Xander talking with a random stranger and decided to find out what was going on. She had short, pixie cropped hair with a section at the front dyed pink.

Xander and Tyler looked around at her.

"You're Vida." Tyler said, pointing at her. "Aliyah's told me all about you. You're like her sister, maybe even a better one than Rebecca."

"How do you know Aliyah?" Vida asked.

"Vida, this is Tyler," said Xander. "Aliyah's cousin."

Vida gasped and snapped her fingers. She knew that she had recognized him from somewhere, but she couldn't figure out where. Aliyah had showed her a ton of pictures of herself and her cousin, how could she had forgotten so easily. "That's right, you're the boy from the pictures," she grinned. "Uh, if you're looking for Ali, she's not here. She's in San Angeles."

"You mean she _was_ in San Angeles."

Vida jumped and spun around. She let out an excited squeal and threw her arms around Aliyah as she stood behind her. "When did you get here?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming? We would have come met you."

"Because i'm only here to pick something up." Aliyah said. "I had to collect something from Toby, and now I'm heading up to Blue Bay Harbour, before heading back to San Angeles. Besides, we only just spoke a few hours ago. You know everything that's going on in SA."

"I know. But you didn't say anything about coming home today." Vida smiled.

Aliyah shrugged. "Short notices again," she said. "But I weren't supposed to come, but to prevent a Fireheart scale from falling into the wrong hands was something that needed to be done, especially by someone who has dealings with Fireheart in the past."

"So you're getting the scale?" Xander asked.

"Correction: I have the scale," said Aliyah, patting her jacket. "Now I have to get it back to the plane. I really wish I could stay longer, but the fate of the world, not to mention my new teammates, hangs in the balance. If I don't get this scale back to my uncle in time, it's the end of everything."

"You're such a dramatic." Tyler said, rolling his eyes. "But you do have a good point. We need to get back before Moltor realizes he's been tricked. He could hunt us down, and come to Briarwood, and that won't be good."

Aliyah nodded in agreement.

"I'll Skype you guys later, alright?" she added to Xander and Vida, all the while making her way to the door with Tyler. "9 o'clock. See ya guys."

She waved and rushed out of sight with Tyler in the lead.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"There's no sign of Moltor, Mr. Hartford." Dax said, looking up from the computers. He had been running a search for the overgrown lava lizard since he and the others got back to base.

"Dax, can you please call me Andrew? Every time you say 'Mr. Hartford,' I look around for my father, and he's been dead for nearly 21 years."

Dax nodded. "Right. So you want us to think of you as someone young," the blue Ranger smiled, earning amused looks from his friends. Rose tried to smother her laughter. Mack chuckled and looked across at Will, while the black Ranger merely smirked, but managed to contain his laughter.

"Ow." Hartford said, silently thanking the heavens that Aliyah was not around to join in the team's poking of his age.

"No sign of him here, either." Rose said from her own computer. "The northern quadrant is clear."

"Is it possible that he hasn't figured out the scale is a fake?" Will asked.

"Probably not yet." Andrew answered. "But when he tries to use it on that Dragon..." he broke off, shaking his head. "Any word from Aliyah or Tyler?" he added.

"I made contact half an hour ago," answered Mack. "Aliyah's stopping in Blue Bay Harbour for something, but they have the scale on board the SHARC."

Andrew nodded. "Good. At least they have the scale, that's the most important part of their mission back home." He muttered, wondering why Aliyah was making a stop in Blue Bay Harbour.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Ronny wandered through the Hartford mansion and into the games room where she found Spencer polishing the balls on the pool table. "Hey, Spencer, you got a minute?" she asked, sitting down opposite him.

"So long as you don't want to whup me at a game of anything, Miss." He said, picking up his duster.

"OK. I admit it. I am a little competitive." Ronny admitted.

"Ha!" Spencer laughed. "A marathon is a little competitive. You are the entire Olympics."

"Well, so? I like to win."

"I imagine it's not your winning that's the problem," said Spencer. "Rather a matter of having to win at all cost. It gets a bit old."

"But winning is fun." Ronny protested.

"Yet in my day, playing was fun." Spencer countered. "Winning was just what happened to one of the participants."

Ronny nodded in understanding, just as her morpher beeped. She pulled it from her shoulder and glanced at the screen. "They've found Moltor," she said. "I've got to go. Thanks, Spencer."

Spencer smiled and nodded.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Does he know?" Dax asked watching Moltor from the big computer.

The Rangers winced as a building exploded, covering most of the city in debris, while people screamed and ran for shelter.

"_Rangers! You will pay for double crossing me!"_ Moltor shouted.

"I think it is safe to assume that he does." Rose nodded. She looked around as Ronny joined them in front of the computers.

"_Come out and fight! Or I'll tear this city a part bit by bit._"

"What are we waiting for?" Ronny asked. "Let's go!"

"Where's Aliyah and Tyler?" Mack asked.

"They're underway," said Andrew. "I'll send them as soon as they return. Go. Hurry."

Mack nodded and turned to his team-mates. "Let's go, Rangers," he said, leading them out.

Andrew waited for them to leave and then turned back to the console that was linked to the SHARC's main controls. "Aliyah, the others are in trouble and need your help." He said.

"_Relax, Andrew, we're in sighting distance of Hartford Mansion._" Aliyah answered. "_Give us ten - fifteen minutes._"

"You've got five." Andrew said. He needed them to land promptly so he could fuse the scale with the drill blaster, and send it to battle in order to destroy Voltron.

"_You suck._"

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Will frowned and looked around at the others as they arrived outside of the industrial building. The energy signature had put this as Moltor's current location. "There's no sign of him," he said, before spinning around as Moltor jumped into view.

"Look harder, Rangers," said Moltor, failing to notice that they were two rangers short of a full team. He threw out his hand and blasted each of them off of their feet.

Grunting and groaning, the five Rangers got back to their feet and reached for their trackers.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

They morphed and rushed at Moltor, who was pissed off beyond belief. He met each of them half way, and slashed at them with his sword. Only to turn around and find that the ones he had already attacked were back for round two. He kicked Ronny and Rose aside, grabbed Dax's wrist and threw him away, hit Mack in the side with his sword, and punched Will in the stomach.

"You'll pay for tricking me." Moltor growled. "Didn't you think I would figure out that the scale was a fake?"

"We were kinda hoping." Dax nodded, before gasping for breath as Moltor's foot slammed down onto his stomach.

"HEY!"

Moltor and the Rangers looked around to see who had interrupted their battle, but all the saw were two random blurs bouncing towards them at rapid speeds.

Jumping out of their Ninja-Streaks, Aliyah and Tyler planted two kicks to Moltor's chest and knocked him away from Dax and the others.

"I'm not finished yet!" Moltor snarled, getting back to his feet. "VOLTRON!"

The Dragon appeared in a burst of flame. He was carrying the fake scale in his claws, and breathing fire from his nose and mouth.

"Ready?" Tyler asked, grabbing his tracker and looking to Aliyah.

Aliyah nodded and grabbed her own tracker. "Ready! Overdrive Accelerate!" she called, pulling the dial down her arm and morphing into her Ranger form.

"Give me the real scale," said Moltor. "Or I'll set him lose on your precious city."

Aliyah smirked and held up the drill blaster. "You really shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Moltor," she shouted. "Defender vest!" she attached the shield she had received from Andrew to her chest and grinned as the new armor appeared on her shoulders, and around her back. "Drill Blaster! FIRE!"

Volcon screeched to the skies and exploded.

"This is only the beginning, Rangers!" Moltor shouted. "You'll pay, mark my words."

"Consider them marked." Aliyah said as he disappeared and the rangers re-grouped around her.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Guys, look at this." Will said as he led Rose, Dax, Aliyah and Mack into the games room to find Ronny and Tyler still playing fooseball.

"Oh, you've gotta be joking." Aliyah said. "You guys are still playing?"

"We went to a movie and grabbed some burgers." Dax said.

"What are you up to like 90 games or something?" Rose asked.

"Same game." Ronny answered, quickly turning her players and keeping the ball away from her net, only problem for her was that Tyler was just as good as she was.

"Tie score." Tyler added, pushing the ball away from his net.

"You know, it's just a matter of time before you're going down." Ronny said looking across at the green Ranger.

Tyler smirked. "Don't bet on it," he said. "I never lost a fooseball game."

"Who have you ever played fooseball with?" Aliyah asked. "Last I checked you never left the Lightening Academy unless it was for something important."

"Mom and Dad bought me a fooseball table for my birthday," said Tyler. "I used to play against my friends at the academy."

"You had friends?" Aliyah teased.

Tyler scowled. "Yeah, the ones who survived your terrorism, that is." He said.

Aliyah grinned.

Suddenly, Tyler jumped away from the table and clapped his hands above his head. "Oh, Yes! Ha ha" he cheered, showing the others the little white ball sitting in Ronny's net. He stopped when he saw the disappointed look on Ronny's face.

"I lost?" the yellow Ranger frowned, looking surprised at her defeat. She'd never lost anything before. She'd always been a winner.

"Oh, boy." Aliyah whispered, taking a step back away from the table. Mack, Rose, Dax and Will followed her example; they were prepared to make a break for it if push came to shove.

"You know, it's not so bad." Ronny laughed, confusing her friends further. "Anyone want to play another?"

"NO!" the team shouted, while Aliyah snatched the small white ball from the table and shot Ronny a look - challenging the yellow Ranger to try and take it from her.

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Sunday, 29th September, 2013 at 04:52am**


	8. Both Sides Now

**Author's Note: **Where did everybody go? I only had two reviews last update. I know that school, Uni and College has started back up, and I understand it is difficult, especially if you have homework. But I'm taking time out of my busy Uni schedule to update; so please take a second to review. I appreciate your thoughts, opinions and view. Thanks. Love you guys.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"It's not just a bird." Rose said, walking backwards as she explained why they were in Turkey to the other Rangers. "It's the Hou-ou, the legendary Japanese king of birds that, according to legend, if you set it free, it will give you clues to find the Touru diamond. The world's most precious diamond. Also, according to legend, it bestows the holder with great power."

"It's kinda funny, you know," said Dax. "We come to Turkey to pick up a statue of a bird. Turkey - Bird. Get it?"

Mack paused and exchanged a look with Aliyah.

"Do you stay up late thinking of stuff like that to say?" Ronny asked, chuckling. Her hand was locked with Tyler's as he pushed through the crowds of people, ever since he had admitted she was cute and he enjoyed spending time with her, the green and yellow Rangers had been inseparable.

"Playtime's over." Will called from the front of the group. He had been leading the way, using his Tracker to pinpoint the location of the house they were supposed to be going too. "Our sources said they'd leave the door open."

"Are you sure you it said 'leave the door open'?" Aliyah asked, stopping outside one house in particular. The front door had been blasted off of its hinges and was smashed all over the floor. "Or did it actually mean 'blasted off its hinges'?"

"Maybe it's a cultural thing." Ronny suggested.

Rose shook her head. She had made the translations herself. They were correct. "Something's wrong," she said, leading the team inside.

"Let's just find the safe, get the Hou-ou statue, and get out of here." Mack said, holding up a small flashlight. The others nodded and followed suit as they crept along the darkened corridor and into the side room. It was completely trashed, debris and boxes littered the floors, and the small safe in the corner of the room was open, but the inside was empty.

Tyler sighed. "Perfect," he groaned. "Someone beat us too it."

"Suddenly I have a feeling of Deja vu." Aliyah muttered, shining her torch around the room.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Will's still up in Andrew's office." Dax said, sliding down the pole and landing in the Overdrive base where the rest of his friends were hanging out, while Rose searched for any signature traces of the Hou-ou.

"Dad's probably giving him a new Zord or something." Mack said. "For all the great work he's been doing."

"Hey, hang on," said Tyler, spinning around on his chair. "I haven't even had my first Zord yet, why does Will get a new one?"

Mack shrugged.

Tyler gaped at the red Ranger and turned to Aliyah, who was sitting beside him cradling a ball of white fluff. "This so not fair," he complained. "I'm the only person that doesn't have a chance when it comes to Zord battles."

"I agree." Aliyah nodded. "So does Cookie. But the decision isn't mine to make."

"It's a wonder you didn't name that thing Saba." Tyler said.

"Why would I name it Saba?" Aliyah frowned.

"Because it's a cat?" said Tyler. "Just about every cat you own is called Saba."

Aliyah rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You're delusional," she said, as the elevator doors opened and Andrew walked into the base. He was wearing a white suit, complete with dinner jacket and tie.

"Is it white appreciation day or something?" Tyler asked.

"Dude, you are so ripping off my colour!" Aliyah whined.

"You've probably been speculating on why I called Will into my office," said Andrew as he faced the rest of his team.

The rest of the Rangers shook their heads.

"N -"

"Yes!" Aliyah said, before the others had a chance. They glared at her, but she ignored them. "Yes, we were wondering why he was called in. Did he get a new Zord? Please say no before Tyler has a fit, he so deserves a Zord before anyone else, he's the only Ranger on the team without one."

"I let Will go." Andrew answered. Silence fell and all six Rangers turned their attention to their mentor.

"Will? Gone?" Ronny repeated.

"This was not an easy call to make." Hartford continued. "But his actions left me no choice."

"What actions?" Tyler asked. "So, yeah, OK, he broke a few rules, and he quite a bit to learn about team-work, but they're things that are a work in progress, you can't just kick him out for things like that. Aliyah even forgave him to the Atlantis mission."

"Actually, I didn't," said Aliyah. "I just buried it deep, but I never actually forgave him."

Tyler rolled his eyes and turned back to his uncle.

"I'm not telling you this because you deserve to know," said Andrew. "I'm also warning you. I asked Will to leave me his Tracker, but he didn't. That's a lot of power for someone so... unstable."

Aliyah snorted. _She_ was unstable. Will? Not so much.

But Andrew's words had struck the others to the core, making the question whether or not Will would really betray them.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Will watched Miratrix train with a cocky smirk. He had seen Aliyah and Tyler practicing their Ninja moves against one another enough times to tell that the villainess before him was one of the same, she may not have been exactly like the white and green Rangers, but she came in at a close second.

When she had finished her routine, Will clapped and startled her.

"Impressive." He said. "Very impressive."

"What do you want, Ranger?" Miratrix snarled. She wasn't doing anything wrong to order an attack.

"I've been looking for you." Will said, stepping closer.

Taking the approach as defensive, Miratrix drew her swords and charged him. "Too bad for you," she hissed. "You found me."

Will sighed and drew his tracker. He run it across the trunk of the tree and morphed, before ducking under Miratrix's swords and rolling across the grass. He summoned his drive defender, and clashed it with her weapons, before sweeping her feet out from under her. Miratrix growled and jumped at Will, kicking him several times, before he jumped up and kicked her in the stomach.

Miratrix hit the ground and rolled back to her knees, preparing for another attack.

Will raised his fist to strike her but stopped. He hesitated and shook his head. "No," he said, powering down and walking towards her.

"You had me." Miratrix said, looking up at him in confusion.

"Very observant. But i'm not here to hurt you." Will explained. "Rather, I have a little proposition." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. "You and I join forces. Think about it. No one could stop ever stop us."

"You and me?" Miratrix asked. "Won't the other Rangers get jealous?"

"Doesn't matter. They fired me." Will said.

"Oh, what did you do - forget to clean your zord?" Miratrix laughed.

"No, just sold some of the Zord technology to a rival - needed money. And, frankly, being a Ranger doesn't really pay too well." Will said, following her as she walked away.

Miratrix stopped and turned back to face him. "Do you take me for a fool?" she asked.

"Au contraire," said Will, smoothly. "You see, you're a woman out for her own gain. Nothing more powerful, and if I must say, more attractive than that."

"Stop. I'm blushing." Miratrix told him. "You're cocky. I like that."

"I prefer to call it confidence." Will corrected.

"And there's nothing you wouldn't do to team up with me?" Miratrix asked.

Will paused for a moment, his eyes lingering on hers. He smirked and shook his head, before finally answering. "Nada," and walking away.

Miratrix watched him go, as her hand strayed to the jewel around her neck. She played with it for a few seconds, overthinking the whole deal. With a Ranger on her side she could finally release her partner, Kamdor, from his prison. It was an opportunity that she couldn't miss.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Will may have broken a rule or two..." said Ronny as she paced around the Ranger base. The others had instigated a search for Will, via his tracker signal, while she still tried to wrap her head around everything that Andrew had told them. She still didn't believe that Will had been fired.

"Two? Try a couple of hundred." Aliyah called from the otherside of the base.

Tyler shot her a look. "That's an exaggeration," he answered. "One, two, maybe three rules. But that doesn't mean that he's a bad guy, and is going to turn against us."

"Yeah. It's just a Tracker." Ronny said, thankful that someone was going to supporter her.

"With enough power to cause worldwide destruction." Aliyah reminded the others. "What happens if Will decides to team-up with someone? Like Miratrix or Moltor, or even Flurious? Can you imagine the shit we'd be in if they got their hands on his Tracker? Better keep looking, even if it is only to get his Tracker back from him, trust me, he can do whatever he wants after that, I don't care, but we need that Tracker back."

Ronny sighed and looked at Tyler as she realized Mack, Rose and Dax were on Aliyah's side. It was four against two, hardly a fair argument.

"Don't worry," said Tyler in a low whisper. "Stand by your gut, and don't back down. Aliyah's just bias to evil Rangers because of events that have happened in the past, and if this is all just a ruse, she'll be the first to jump and defend Will if he gets in over his head." He tilted Ronny's head back and smiled. "You'll see."

Ronny returned the smile and nodded, looking around as Rose announced she had found Will's location.

"Let's go." Aliyah said, putting Cookie down and jumping to her feet. The small kitten, which wasn't very big, curled up in the corner of the room and watched as her mistress and friends abandoned the base. She had've to wait either for them to come back or for one of the two men that lived at the mansion to come down and take her back upstairs.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Will smirked as he landed outside of the building, holding the item that Miratrix had sent him in for. He knew that helping her steal was against regulations, but he had to keep up appearances if he was ever going to earn her trust.

"Did you get it?" Miratrix asked as she walked towards him.

"You mean this?" Will asked, showing her the item.

"It is the only thermal bivalve reticulating laser in existence. And now it's mine." Miratrix reached out to grab it, but Will pulled it away. She frowned and looked up at him, falling deeper into his smile as he handed her the device, for a split second she had thought he was second-guessing their deal.

"Glad you're happy." Will said, grabbing her arm as she tried to leave. "But what about us?"

Before Miratrix could answer, the sound of engines ripped through their silence. Will and Miratrix looked around as Tyler, Dax and Ronny drove towards them on the ATV and bikes, while Mack, Rose and Aliyah arrived in the 4x4.

"There he is." Dax smiled, pointing at Will and jumping from his ATV. "And see, he hasn't turned bad. In fact, look who he's captured."

"Nice going, Will, you got her." Ronny applauded.

Aliyah narrowed her eyes at the scene; she had a sneaky suspicion that things weren't exactly how the others perceived them to be.

Will shot the Rangers a look of hostility, before smirking. "Got her?" he asked. "No. I'm afraid you're mistaken. It is us who have gotten you." He morphed and fired his defender at them.

Quickly, Aliyah grabbed Mack and Tyler by the shoulders, the two instantly knew to latch onto the Ranger closest to them, forming a chain-link. When Will's lasers hit, they melted through each of the Rangers and exploded against the bikes.

"Lucky escape." Will growled.

"Wish I could say the same for you." Aliyah shot back, grabbing her Tracker. "Ready?"

"I hate when Dad's right." Mack complained.

Tyler shot him a look. "Forget your father," he said. "I hate it when Aliyah's right."

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

"You're going to regret finding me." Will said, lowering his blaster and running at his former team-mates. He kicked Dax and Tyler, swept Mack's feet out from under him, and jumped up and mid-air spin, knocked Ronny backwards into Rose.

Aliyah jumped over her fallen team-mates, and spun in mid-air, kicking Will in the head as she landed behind him. "You're gonna regret ever crossing my path, Aston!" she snapped. "Give me the Tracker!"

"Not a chance!" Will shouted rushing at her. He aimed a punch for her face, but Aliyah blocked him and, catching his wrist, she jumped up to kick him in the chest but he grabbed her ankle and spun her away.

Aliyah spun over in mid-air and landed in a crouch, just as Mack rushed at him. Will blocked all of the red Ranger's attacked. After jumping into the air again, and kicking Mack several times, Will finally hit his former leader in the chest and knocked him down.

"Hey!" Aliyah shouted, rushing at Will again. She grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, but was flipped over as Will kicked her in the back of the knee and twisted her over. He grabbed her by the chest and slammed her into the ground, knocking the air from her lungs.

Tyler shot to his feet and rushed at the black Ranger along with Ronny.

"Will, stop this." Ronny yelled, grabbing his arms.

"Oh, please." Will scoffed, jumping up and kicking her in the chest. He sent her flying backwards into Dax, while Will dealt with Tyler. He kicked the green Ranger in the gut, and sent him crashing to the floor.

Jumping backwards from his former team-mates, Will watched as they regrouped. He counted them quickly and found that he was one short.

"Ah!" Aliyah shouted as she landed on Will's back. She tightened her grip around his shoulders and reached for his tracker on his belt.

Will caught her wrist and pulled her over his shoulder. She hit the ground for a second time, and coughed as Will grabbed her arm, forced her to her feet and then slammed her into a stone wall. "Try again, white Ranger!" he said, tightening his hold around her throat.

Instantly, Aliyah's body froze in fear. Images of Hunter's face sneering down at her as he strangled her, sprang to mind, and followed by images of Vida, when she had been controlled by Necrolai, followed.

Will laughed as he felt Aliyah go limp. "Hey, I know I have this under control," he shouted to Miratrix, oblivious to the fear and anger that was building up inside of Aliyah. "But -" he broke off as Aliyah grabbed his wrist, twisted it, and kicked him in the stomach. He groaned and fell to one knee, leaving his face exposed.

Aliyah grabbed the back of his head and forced it down, colliding it with her knee as she kicked up.

"Argh!" Will hissed as he felt the front of his helmet smash into his nose. Blood spurted down over his lips and chin, but he couldn't wipe it away without demorphing. "What the hell?"

"You want to play rough?" Aliyah yelled, lunging for him again. She landed hard against him, with Will grabbing her waist as they rolled a couple of times. He slammed her into the ground once or twice, but lost his grip as she bucked her hips and knocked him off of her, only to climb back onto him the second he landed. "How's this for rough?" she asked, pulling back her fist and smashing it into the front of his helmet. The visor cracked under the pressure and Will cried out as his head hit the back.

Aliyah was out for blood, he couldn't see it in her eyes, but he could feel it every time her fist made contact with his body. In a way he was thankful for the helmet, even if he had smashed his nose against it, but it was protecting him from the ferocity behind her attacks.

"Hey, a little help?" Will shouted to Miratrix.

"Give me a second, OK?" Miratrix called back. She pulled the rock from around her neck and slotted it into the laser.

"Aliyah!" the other Rangers shouted, rushing forward. Tyler grabbed his cousin around the waist and tried to pull her off of Will, but she gripped his sides with her knees and refused to budge, all the while deflecting his fists and still punching him. She was shaking with fear and anger, and knew that she had to stop, but it was like she was possessed. She couldn't stop, not until she had finished.

Suddenly a bright light blanked the area and, when it cleared, a blue ninja stood in front of Miratrix.

"Whoa." Dax and Rose breathed.

"You took your time getting me out, Miratrix," said the new guy.

"Who is that?" Ronny asked.

"I am Kamdor! Prepare to fall!" the new guy said, pulling out a sword. He leapt at the Rangers, struck Ronny, Rose, Dax and Mack, before striking Tyler as he tried to break up Will and Aliyah. The green Ranger cried out as he rolled away from the fighting duo.

"Tyler!" Ronny shouted rushing to his side. She helped him up and they each drew their defender swords, and rushed off to help the others fight Kamdor as he took to the stairwell. He knocked Mack down, kicked Tyler in the stomach and knocked him into a concrete beam, tossed Ronny over the side as she leapt to defend Tyler.

Jumping over the side of the stairway, Kamdor drew a second sword and crossed the two weapons. They lit up with blue lightning, and he threw it at Dax and Rose, blasting them off of the stairway.

With five out of seven Rangers defeated, Kamdor turned to the still fighting Aliyah and Will. The black Ranger had managed to get the upper hand in the fight and had shoved the white Ranger away. She was kneeling a few feet away from him, breathing heavily, but still shaking with unrestrained fury.

Jumping to his feet, Will rushed at Aliyah and aimed a punch to her head. His fist connected and she reeled backwards. Rolling over several times, Aliyah looked up at Will through her visor, blood trickled down over her lips and chin from her nose, but she didn't care.

"Go on." Aliyah encouraged him. "Take your best shot, but be warned, it'll your last."

Will kneeled beside Aliyah and grabbed her wrist, hauling her halfway up off the ground. "I'm not the enemy here," he whispered to her, before throwing her roughly back onto the ground, and then walked away.

"Come," called Kamdor. "There is much to do."

"What about the Rangers?" Will asked him.

"They are defeated. They pose no problem," Kamdor answered with a laugh.

Aliyah blinked as she allowed Will's final words to process her scattered mind. She was still furious over the fact that he had tried to strangle her, but then realized that she hadn't told him, or the other Rangers that she had a phobia of being strangled. But that still didn't explain his or her actions, and it most definitely didn't explain why he was telling her that he wasn't the bad guy.

He had just fought them, and helped free Kamdor, so if he wasn't the bad guy, why was he with Miratrix?

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Well, if there was any doubt about Will, I guess that's been resolved." Mack said as he and the others walked into the base. Aliyah winced as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Her hand was covered in blood, and there was a red stain on her lips and chin from where she had wiped the blood from first contact, causing it to smear.

"I'd have bet anything that Will would never go to the other side." Ronny sighed, leaning into Tyler as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "And I don't lose bets."

"You lost to me." Aliyah said, but she regretted it as pain shot through her nose. "Ow - i'm gonna kill Will."

"Hey, now you know how it felt when you did it to him." Tyler pointed.

"HE TRIED TO STRANGLE ME!" Aliyah shouted, causing more pain to shoot across the bridge of her nose. She knew it wasn't broken, but the blood was still flooding from it.

Tyler sighed and rubbed his head. "Yeah, but he didn't know that you had a phobia of being strangled," he said. "You can't blame him for that."

"You have a phobia of being strangled?" Rose asked.

"Death by suffocation." Aliyah answered. "I've been strangled before in the past, both times by people who were my friends, and under the influence of evil. But I also have a stupid prophecy over my head that was activated last year; it stops me from turning evil. But if I am exposed to the forces of darkness, I die a slow and agonizing death by suffocating."

The Rangers, save for Tyler, stared at Aliyah with wide eyes.

"Why are you only telling us this now?" Mack asked.

Aliyah shrugged. "I thought your father would have told you," she said. "Guess not."

"I can't believe he's with her." Dax suddenly exclaimed, turning to his friends. "You don't just hook up with a friend's ex."

Aliyah, Ronny and Rose all shared a confused look.

"Man law." Mack, Dax and Tyler explained.

Ronny scoffed and shook her head, while Rose smiled and nodded. Meanwhile, Tyler dropped his arm from around Ronny and approached Aliyah. He patted the controls table and instructed her to hop up, and tilt her head back while he placed an ice pack over the bridge of her nose which was starting to bruise.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Will stared at his reflection as he treated the bloody nose he had acquired from Aliyah. He wasn't exactly sure what he had done to inflict such a vicious response from her, but he knew it had something to do with the action of putting his hands around her throat. Was she afraid of being strangled? He'd have to ask her if he ever got out of this situation... and if she still trusted him, obviously.

Splashing water on his face, Will held a cloth under the cold water and rung it out, before dabbing it to his still bleeding nose. He had managed to wipe the blood stains from his mouth and chin, but just needed to stop the flow of blood from his nose before he faced Miratrix and Kamdor.

The flow wasn't has heavy as he expected it to be, and he had it cleaned up in a matter of seconds. Ringing out the cloth, Will returned to the chamber where Kamdor and Miratrix were waiting for him.

"You sure you trust him?" he asked Miratrix.

"Trust Kamdor?" Miratrix asked. "Two years ago, I got into some trouble on a distant planet and he was captured, saving me. They confined him for eternity inside that crystal. But it took me two years to find the device that could set him free. By the way, did I thank you for that?" she added, sending a flirty smile at Will. "Thank you."

Will smiled and nodded.

"Shouldn't it be us who doesn't trust you?" Kamdor asked the black Ranger.

"I was just saying -"

"Silence! You'll need to prove yourself."

"I'm getting a little tired of proving myself." Will sighed.

"Had I known those we were fighting were your former friends, I would have destroyed them." Kamdor said, curling his hand into a fist.

Will frowned. "Are all Ninja's this angry?" he asked, realizing that Kamdor formed a fist whenever he was angry, just like Aliyah did.

"How many Ninja's do you know?" Miratrix asked.

"Other than you two?" Will asked. "Two. The green and white Rangers are Lightning Ninjas."

"Lightning Ninjas?" Kamdor repeated. "They died out years ago."

"Apparently not," said Will. "Because, according to my knowledge, there are still three in existence to this day."

"Three?" asked Miratrix. "Must be a family pack. You say two of them are here in San Angeles?"

Will nodded.

"And the third?" Kamdor asked.

"Couldn't tell you," said Will. "I've never seen or met her."

Miratrix looked thoughtful. "Lightning is the most powerful element of them all," she said, looking at Kamdor. "If we can get our hands on the two Lightning Ninjas, we could use them to in our fight for the Jewels of the Corona."

Kamdor nodded and turned to Will. "Since you are so eager. Prove yourself by capturing the Lightning Ninjas, but destroy the Power Rangers in the process," he said.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"How about now?" Hartford asked.

"Nothing." Rose sighed. "Not a sign of Will's tracker's imprint anywhere."

"How can he block his signal?" Mack asked.

"You know Will," said Ronny. "If there's a way, he'll find it."

"Or he could've just switched his Tracker off." Aliyah suggested. Her nose had healed up better than expected, but she was still furious at Will, and his statement of 'not being the bad guy' was playing on her mind.

Tyler frowned and leaned closer to the computer. "Wait a sec. Go back," he said, pointing at the screen. "There - what's that?"

"That's an awfully weak signal." Rose said, shaking her head.

"But it's a place to start." Mack said. "Come on."

The others nodded and followed him out.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"I'm picking up a signal over there." Dax said, holding up his Tracker and pointing in the direction of a huge tree.

"You are _so_ predictable!" Will laughed, stepping into view.

The Rangers too a step back in surprise, although Aliyah clenched her hands into fists and glared at Will.

"You know we have to bring you in." Mack said, putting his hand on Aliyah's shoulder and stepping in front of her. He managed to block her view of the black Ranger, but he could still feel the anger radiating off of her. After hearing her story, he couldn't help but be a little more protective of her, despite her being older than him.

"Oh?" Will laughed, holding his hands up in defence. "You don't get it, do you? I let you find my signal. You didn't find me. I brought you here."

"It's a trap." Rose gasped, reaching for her Tracker.

"Ready?" Tyler asked, taking the lead. He wanted Will to pay for hurting Aliyah, although he understood completely that the black Ranger had no idea what he had done, he had still caused her harm, and that didn't sit right with the overprotective green Ranger.

"Ready!"

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

Will growled and morphed too, before jumping forward and taking out as many of his friends as he possibly could. Unfortunately for him, they all stepped back away from his hits and he landed amongst them.

"Ha!" Aliyah and Mack shouted, kicking up at the black Ranger, only for him to block them and push away.

Will then ducked as Dax and Tyler jumped at him from behind. They skimmed over him and landed in front of Aliyah and Mack, who were getting back to their feet, before doubling back in to fight. He grabbed onto Dax and kicked Tyler into a tree, before shoving the blue Ranger away and kicking him to the ground.

"This ends!" Aliyah shouted, jumping forward.

Will laughed and leapt into the air. He spun around, kicked Aliyah in the chest and sent her flying out of the clearing. With both Lightning Ninja's out of the way, Will grabbed his Tracker and pointed it at his former friends.

"Drop your Tracker. It's over." Mack said, pointing at the black Ranger.

"You're right. It's over - for you." Will nodded, firing.

The blast hit the rangers.

"RONNY!" Tyler yelled as the smoke began to clear showing the spot where the team had once stood was now empty again. "What did you?" he shouted at Will.

"Only what the deserved." Will laughed, walking over to his former friend. "Tyler, listen to me -" but before he could finish there was a rustle in the tree line. Kamdor and Miratrix entered the clearing, holding Aliyah between them; her tracker was in Kamdor's hand.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Mack blinked and looked around, for a second he didn't believe what he was seeing, but soon reality caught up with him and he realized that he was standing in the Overdrive Base with Spencer and his father looking back at him.

"What just happened?" he asked looking around at the others.

"How did we get here?" Ronny asked.

"How did we leave there?" Rose frowned.

"Are my arms on the right side?" Dax asked, swinging his arms around. "They feel weird."

"I will answer all your questions." Andrew said. He paused and frowned, doing quick head count before realizing he was two Rangers short. "Where are Aliyah and Tyler?"

Ronny jumped and looked around. "They were with us a second ago," she said. "Tyler was fighting with Dax and Aliyah was with Mack."

"Yeah, but Will knocked Aliyah out of the clearing, remember?" Rose asked. "And Tyler was shoved against a tree. You don't think it was intentional, do you?"

Mack shrugged. "Why would it be?" he asked. "What can Aliyah and Tyler bring to Kamdor, Miratrix and Will?"

"Aliyah's power, maybe?" Dax asked.

"No one here knows about Aliyah's prophecy." Andrew answered. "Especially not Will. They must want them for something much more basic. Now, onto how you were brought here and not destroyed. I modified Will's Tracker to send you here."

"Why?" Mack asked.

"Because he and Will have set us up, right?" Rose asked, realizing the plan.

"As always, Rose," smiled Andrew.

"Then Will hasn't joined Miratrix?" Dax asked.

"Not exactly." Andrew said. "Will has infiltrated Miratrix's ranks in order to get her to lead us to the Hou-ou, which she stole from under us in Istanbul."

"How do you know it was her?" Mack asked.

"Well, if it was Moltor or Flurious, someone surely would have seen a monster walking the streets." Andrew said.

"Good deduction, Mr. Hartford." Ronny nodded.

"So you really didn't fire Will." Rose said.

"No. Will convinced me in order to go undercover successfully, we all had to be convincing, or it could cost him his life."

Mack scoffed. "It nearly cost him his life with Aliyah," he said.

"That was all a part of the plan," said Andrew. "I needed Will to get close to Aliyah and let her know there was more than met the eye during these battles. I knew that she would brush it off in her anger, but it would linger in her subconscious. It has been playing on her mind all day, but she hasn't spoken up about it because she isn't sure whether or not she can trust Will's judgment."

"So you successfully kept us all in the dark," said Rose. "Even with Aliyah knowing the secret?"

Andrew nodded.

"But what do they want with Aliyah and Tyler now?" Dax wondered. "If Will really isn't on their side, why did he separate them from us, and send us back here but keep them?"

"Yeah." The others nodded.

Andrew shook his head. "I don't know," he answered. "All we can hope is that Miratrix has bought Will's plan, just like you all did, and he has a second plan in mind to help Aliyah and Tyler."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah struggled against the ropes that bound her hands behind her back. She was sitting in a small cavern, beyond which was a much bigger room where Will was meeting with Miratrix and Kamdor.

"Will you stop struggling?" Tyler asked. He was sitting opposite her, his hands were also tied behind his wrist, but he had stopped with his chances of escape when he realized he was tied tightly.

"No. We have to get out." Aliyah said. "We can't use our powers without alerting them, but if I could just reach my boot."

"Why, what do you have in your boot?"

"My laser."

Tyler rolled his eyes and watched as Aliyah struggled to get hold of the small device in the fold of her boot. "You're not gonna get it," he said. "Why hide it there? You know you can't reach."

"Shut up." Aliyah grunted, straining her fingers. She brushed over the fur at the top of her shoe, and growled as she skimmed the top of the laser.

Tyler, however, had paused and was straining to hear what was happening in the next room. "Hey, Ali, shut up a minute," he whispered.

"I'm trying to get us out of here!" Aliyah snapped.

"Listen!" Tyler hissed.

Aliyah fell silent as Will's voice drifted back to them from the other room.

"The prisoners are secure," he was saying. "But I still fail to see why you wanted them alive and the others dead."

"They're Lightning Ninja's," said Kamdor. "They are powerful in their field. They will come in handy in the fight against Moltor and Flurious for the Jewels and the Crown, and once we have what we want, we'll dispose of them just like we did the others."

Tyler and Aliyah swallowed and exchanged looks.

"Hey, look on the bright side," shrugged Aliyah.

"There's a bright side?" Tyler asked.

Aliyah scowled.

"Sorry. What's the bright side?"

"At least they don't know about the prophecy."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Ronny frowned as the computer she was using to search started to pick up a static frequency from outside the base. "Hey, cool it, everyone. I'm picking up something," she called to the others.

"Oh, it's probably just static." Mack said, walking over to investigate.

"No. It's too rhythmic." Dax said.

"Shh." Rose shushed, listening intently. "It's Morse code. It might be a message from Will, Tyler or even Aliyah."

"Can anyone translate Morse code?" Mack asked, looking around at his team-mates.

Ronny and Dax stared at him, and then the three looked around at Rose who had held up her hand with an impish smile.

"By the age of four."

Ronny smiled and shook her head, as Rose jotted down the translations.

"It's from Will. It seems Mr. Hartford was right." Rose smiled. "Miratrix has the Hou-ou."

"Anything on Tyler or Aliyah?" Mack asked.

"Only that they're alive." Rose said. "For now..."

Ronny panicked and looked to from Dax, to Mack, and then to Rose. "What do you mean 'for now'?" she asked.

"I don't know." Rose said, as the code stopped as Will disappeared. "But I don't think we're going to have to wait too long to find out."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After several failed attempts at getting her laser, Aliyah was rubbing her wrists to ease the blood flow in her veins. The ropes, which had burned in to her skin from all her thrashing around, lay shredded at her feet. "Why didn't you tell me that you had a switch blade in your pocket?" she asked, looking to Tyler.

"Because it was enjoyable to watch you struggle." Tyler answered.

"You're cruel."

Tyler shook his head. "Nope. Just proving that even you can fail at something," he said.

"What do you mean?" Aliyah frowned.

"Nothing. Just, you always seem to win. You never fail."

"I always win because I have people there to help me," said Aliyah. "As you just proved. I would never have been able to cut the ropes if you hadn't offered your services. And, besides, I never claim to be good at everything. Yes, I failed in getting us out of trouble, but you stepped in and helped. So no, i'm not perfect; I would never want to be."

Tyler smiled and shook his head.

"No, no one is perfect," he agreed, holding his hand out for her. "C'mon, we have to warn the others."

Aliyah nodded in agreement, took his hand and they both streaked off into the surrounding trees.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Kamdor led the way into the quarry. He was angry at being played a fool by the Lightning Ninjas that had seemingly got away from him, and now he just wanted to get the jewel without interruption. The rest of the Power Rangers were destroyed, the black Ranger had seen to that, and this left him and the two Ninja's left standing in the way.

But Kamdor had a plan. Once he was in possession of the next jewel, he would destroy the black Rangers, re-capture the green and white - keeping an eye on them at all times - and force them to help him find the rest of the jewels. Then, once he had the crown and all five jewels, he would destroy the last two remaining Rangers, and be crowned the most powerful of all evil villians on Earth.

"Here." Kamdor said, looking up at the sky. The sun was in the perfect spot.

"Here?" Miratrix repeated.

Kamdor nodded and looked to her.

Miratrix hesitated, and looked up to the sun. She held the Hou-ou statue up, blocking the sun from her face. There was a split second pause, before the statue was consumed by a bright light and a chirping golden bird flew from it. The bird slipped through Miratrix's fingers and flew to the North.

"Hurry. It will lead us to the diamond of Touru." Miratrix said, as their bird flew away.

"Not so fast!"

Miratrix, Kamdor and Will looked around as two blurs jumped over them, blocking their path. It was Aliyah and Tyler, both decked out in their traditional Ninja gear.

"You're not getting that bird." Aliyah said.

"And who's going to stop us?" Kamdor laughed. "You two? You don't stand a chance."

"Three and against two," said Miratrix. "Hardly seems like a fair fight."

Tyler smirked. "Three against two? Count again," he said, as the rest of the Overdrive team landed around him and Aliyah, surprising both Kamdor and Miratrix.

"Rangers? You didn't destroy them?" said Miratrix, looking at Will.

The black Ranger smiled.

"You tricked me."

"Kind of like how you tricked Dax, huh?" Will said, striding towards his friends.

"Guess you don't know about man law, Miratrix." Dax laughed, stepping out of line.

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "So not the time, dude," she said to the blue Ranger. "Let's just deal with these two."

"Follow the Hou-ou." Kamdor growled at the female beside him. "I will take them up in battle."

"As you wish." Miratrix nodded, running off.

Aliyah looked around at Mack, Dax, Ronny, Rose and Tyler. "You guys go after Miratrix," she said. "Will and I'll handle Kamdor."

"We're on it." Ronny nodded, running off with the others.

With the others gone, Will turned to Aliyah.

"Thanks," he said. "For staying."

Aliyah shook her head. "Don't get the idea that I stayed for you. You still got a long way to go, in order to regain my trust," she said.

"Then why are you here?" Will frowned.

"To make sure he doesn't break your neck." Aliyah said, nodding at Kamdor.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

With the loss of the Lightning Ninja's, and the destruction of his monster, Kamdor returned to the quarry where he found Miratrix trying to decipher a blanket of parchment.

"The Rangers are powerful," he concluded. "I underestimated them. It will not happen again."

"Good." Miratrix nodded. She stood up and held out the blanket to her partner. "The Hou-ou returned with this," she said. "It's a clue to the location of the next jewel. But the only problem I have is that I cannot understand its writings."

Kamdor took the parchment and held it up to reveal a number of symbols surrounding a small picture in the centre.

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Monday, 07th October, 2013 at 04:22am**


	9. Follow the Ranger

**Author's Note: **Several people where wondering how I would be taking this episode. I hope this suffices your appetites. Happy reading.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

Cookie purred as she watched Spencer list the different times of fish and crustaceans that were in the fish food. The butler was standing in front of the large fish tank, as several goldfish swam round and round.

The cats golden eyes widened and her pink tongue licked her lips. She was hungry, and Spencer wasn't helping.

"Dry flakes of salmon, Halibut, Blue Cod, Krill, Crab, Clam, Herring, Squid and Shrimp. Well, well, Bon Appetite, little fishes." Spencer said, looking at the gold fish. He turned and spotted the cat, smiling as he put the fish food down he scooped her up and petted her head. "Hungry too, Miss Cookie?" he asked.

Cookie purred and rubbed herself against Spencer's cheek. She liked this human, he was kind to her. He prepared her several different food dishes every day, some days she'd have tuna, another day she'd have salmon. She wondered what he had for her today.

"Spencer?" Hartford called as he entered the room. He was watching his butler with an amused look on his face.

"Sir." Spencer said, abruptly.

"What are you doing?" Andrew asked. He reached out to pet Cookie, but she hissed at him, jumped down from Spencer's arms and padded away, her tail held high.

"My job, sir, as usual." Spencer answered. "Might I remind you, sir, that it was not so long ago, I was feeding Dukes and Earls."

"Yes, you remind me every day." Andrew nodded. "Have you seen the Rangers?"

"Indeed I have sir."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Spencer, where are the Rangers?"

"Oh," said Spencer, as if he had been completely oblivious to his boss' question. "I gave them a couple of hours off, sir. To do whatever it is young people do these days."

"Good." Andrew nodded. "A little 'R' and 'R' will build morale. But I have to confess, Spencer, I'm still worried about Mack. I'm afraid I always will."

"Indeed, sir." Spencer nodded in understanding.

The two men left the room and Mack, who had been lying on the couch listening, pushed himself up and sighed. "Oh, like I haven't proven myself already?" he asked, before grunting as a pair of gloves hit him in the side of the head.

"Dude, c'mon, get up," said Aliyah, walking into the room. She was oblivious to the look on her cousin's face, or about what he had just heard from his father. "The Urban climb starts in half an hour."

Mack rubbed the side of his head and threw the gloves back at Aliyah.

"Hey," the white Ranger frowned. "Didn't you hear me? Put the book down, and get up. We're going climbing."

"Not in the mood," said Mack.

"Dude, we had a deal!" said Aliyah. "I'd leave you alone until midday to do whatever it is you wanted to do, and then you'd come climbing with me."

"Well things have changed."

Aliyah narrowed her eyes. No one broke a deal with her. "Mack, whatever your problem is," she said. "You can figure it out while we climb. Rock-climbing will help you clear your mind."

"No."

"Fine." Aliyah seethed, grabbing the second set of gloves. "I'll find someone else to come with me."

She stormed out, leaving Mack alone to ponder his thoughts.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Moltor laughed darkly as he looked up at the Megazord in front of him.

"This is my greatest achievement. With this powerful machine, I'll destroy the Rangers on my way to the Jewels."

The Lava Lizards that were working on the 30ft Megazord chattered and argued over blueprints, while others snarled as a cold blast blew through the cave and Flurious and Norg walked inside.

"Impressive." Flurious said, catching his brother's attention. "Quite impressive."

"Flurious!"

"It's a bit toasty in here. Would you mind turning on the A.C.?" Flurious asked.

"Certainly. Turn up the furnace." Moltor said to the Lava Lizard at his shoulder. The foot soldier nodded and rushed off.

"Thank you. I've been thinking," continued Flurious. "Now that Miratrix has unleashed Kamdor and possesses the parchment that will lead her to the Touru Diamond, the next Jewel, I think it's time we bury the hatchet. But not in each other's back."

"What for?" Moltor growled. "I have this menacing robot, and a giant Dragonizer, too."

"The Dragonizer, as well. I've got an idea. Why don't we share them?" Flurious suggested.

"Of course, brother," agreed Moltor. "Like we shared my little red sled when we were kids."

"Sleds? I love sleds!" Norg exclaimed, excitedly. "I love them..." he frowned as Flurious cast him a dark look. "OK. I'm gonna go play with some rocks now." He waddled off, leaving the two brothers alone.

With Norg gone, Flurious turned angrily back to his brother. "How many times do I have to tell you - I NEVER TOUCHED YOUR SLED!"

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Flurious and Moltor laughed as they terrorized the downtown area of San Angeles. They main objective was to draw out the Rangers, not necessarily hurt anyone, but if any innocent bystander did happen to get in the way then neither of the brothers seemed to care.

"This will draw them out." Flurious said, watching as the Chillers and Lava Lizards scattered the crowd like frightened little mice. "Then we'll unleash the beast!"

They both looked up as the SHARC craft flew overhead and the Rangers landed ahead of them. Immediately, the Rangers started to herd the people to safety, while fighting off the foot soldiers and holding them at bay.

"Looks like they've teamed up!" Tyler said, noticing the two brothers were together.

"Attack!"

"Get them!" Aliyah said, drawing her sabre blade and darting forward.

"Drive Vortex!" Dax shouted, jumping over a couple of foot soldiers and hitting them with his weapon.

"Drive Geyser!" Rose said, blasting hot water at a group of Chillers and melting them.

"Dive Claws!" Ronny called, smashing into the Lava Lizards and Chillers, knocking them all off of their feet.

"Drive Slammer! Aah!" Will exclaimed, slamming his hammer into his enemies and knocking them down.

"Drive Sabre!" Tyler said, twirling his sabre in his hand and spearing it through the foot soldiers.

While the Rangers fought their foot soldiers, Moltor turned to Flurious. "Now," he asked.

"Not yet." Flurious replied. "Let's tire them out."

"Sabre blade!" Aliyah called, rushing at Moltor and Flurious. She fought them off for as long as she could, before they both landed a kick to her chest and knocked her backwards into an abandoned car.

"Defender Vest!" Mack shouted, appearing behind the two brothers. He had finished up with his own foot soldiers, just in time to see Aliyah in need of a little backup. He jumped over Moltor and Flurious, landed in front of Aliyah and turned the drill blaster on the two power players.

Moltor and Flurious growled and fired their own elements at Mack, but the Red ranger counteracted them and fired the drill blaster. They blocked the attack and threw it behind them.

"No way!" Aliyah shouted. She had been the first Ranger on the team to use the defender vest and the drill blaster, therefore she knew how powerful it was. There was no possible way that anyone could block its attack.

"NOW!" Flurious shouted.

"Yes!" Moltor agreed.

The ground shook as a 30ft monster exploded from behind the brothers.

"Whoa," said Dax as he and the others regrouped with Aliyah and Mack.

"Let's rev it up." Mack said, reaching for his tracker. "Spencer, the Zords."

The Zords arrived, and five out of seven Rangers took off.

Tyler turned to Aliyah. "Why aren't you helping them?" he asked, curiously.

"I'm back up." Aliyah answered.

The two ninjas watched as the Megazord hit the ground after taking a punch to the chest.

"It's too strong." Tyler said.

"It was one punch." Aliyah retorted.

"And it knocked them off of their feet," said Tyler.

"Many do." Aliyah nodded, watching as the team forced the Megazord upright and returned to the robot for another round.

Tyler winced as the Megazord fell down again. "They need more back up," he said. "Spencer send the Drill Driver."

"What are you doing?" Aliyah asked, grabbing Tyler's arm as he tried to run off. Ever since Hartford had said he could operate any of the add-on Zords, the green Ranger had been itching to get involved in a Megazord battle.

"To help." Tyler answered, as his drive console appeared in his hands. He pulled out of Aliyah's grasp and jumped into the cockpit of the drill zord.

Aliyah sighed and hesitated. "Oh, screw it," she said, pushing the nagging feeling in the back of her mind to the side. If things were going to go south then she was going to do everything she could to make it happen to Moltor and Flurious, and not her team-mates. "Tiger Zord!"

The Tiger Zord roared as it run into view.

Moltor and Flurious laughed as their prime target finally arrived. They had scanned the Tiger Zord the last time it had defeated one of their monsters, and had come to the same conclusion - the Tiger Zord was powerful enough to power up two of their robots long enough for them to destroy the Rangers, and find the Jewels to the crown.

"Fire!" Tyler shouted, powering up the drill.

"Counterattack!" Moltor yelled.

"Lightning blast!" Aliyah said. The three attacks collided and exploded outwards, shaking the city, the two Megazords and the robotic monster.

The robot growled and charged. It knocked the Tiger zord aside, and grabbed the DriveMax Megazord.

"Those vice-grip hands won't release!" Dax said, as their controls started to beep and spark.

"We're losing power!" Ronny shouted.

"It's down 50%." Rose confirmed.

Aliyah rolled the Tiger Zord over and jumped at the robot. "Guys, eject!" she shouted, knocking the monster away from her friends, as their Megazord sparked dangerously. It released them and set its sights on her.

"Release the Dragonizer."

There was another explosion and a second monster rose out of the depths.

Aliyah looked around, startled.

"What's that?" Tyler asked.

"Another one!" Will shouted.

"It's going after Aliyah." Dax pointed out.

"They both are," said Rose. "Look."

Both the Dragonizer and the robot had abandoned the DriveMax Megazord and were charging at the Tigerzord.

"We got to help her!" Tyler said.

The Tiger Zord growled and batted its paw at the two monsters, as they each attacked simultaneously.

"Tiger Zord, warrior mode!" Aliyah shouted.

The Zord changed, and unsheathed its sabe.

"Lightning orb!" Aliyah shouted, spinning the sabre in a circle. The orb glowed brightly and Aliyah slashed through it.

The Dragonizer roared and threw its boomerang at the attack, cancelling it out.

Aliyah growled and punched her consoles.

"Give me a break!" she shouted.

"Blast those machines!" Moltor ordered as the other Rangers called for backup. The Crane and Shovel drivers exploded as they were hit, shutting them down and knocking them off the road.

"They've been damaged!" Rose said.

"Back to plan 'A.'" Mack decided.

Tyler nodded and disengaged from the Megazord, just as Rose and Ronny's Zords returned. The green Ranger ejected and landed on a nearby rooftop to watch the battle, the Dragonizer jumped at the Tigerzord while the robot holding Moltor and Flurious attacked the DriveMax.

Shoving the DriveMax away, the robot fired its fist lasers and knocked the ranger's weapons from their hands.

"That one hurt us bad." Rose said, checking her screens.

"We're not done yet." Mack said, refusing to back down.

"We go to eject!" Dax protested. "Otherwise, we're toast."

"Dax, don't talk that way!" Ronny scolded.

"Maybe he's right!" Will agreed. "Aliyah told us to eject."

"But she needs our help." Ronny pointed out. He didn't want to have to face Tyler if they ejected and Aliyah got hurt.

Rose shook her head. "Remember what she said?" she asked. "The Tigerzord is stronger than our Zords. Maybe she'll be OK."

"We can't take the chance!"

"I don't think we have a choice," said Will, as Moltor wrapped them up in chains and electrocuted them.

The DriveMax Megazord exploded and the Rangers were thrown from their cockpit.

"No!" Aliyah shouted, charging at the robot. She head-butted it, before losing consciousness as the Dragonizer slammed its fist down on top if the Tigerzord head.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah struggled against her cuffs as she walked along the sea front of some island. Flurious was ahead of her, leading the way, while Moltor was behind making sure she didn't try and give them the slip.

"Let me go," she said, looking up at the giant walking ice sculpture. "You'll never get away with whatever it is you're planning."

Flurious stopped and turned aggressively towards their prison. He reached out and snatched her tracker from her shoulder, and sneered at Aliyah. "Let me put your mind at ease," he said. "This island is completely secret."

"Are you going to tell next that it rises from sea every two hundred years?" Aliyah asked. "Because if you are, save your breath. It's not as secret as you might think."

Moltor grabbed Aliyah by the hair and forced her to her knees. He held his sword to her neck and looked at his brother. "Let's just kill her," he said.

"No." Flurious said. He grabbed Aliyah's upper arm, hauled her to her feet and threw her forward. The white Ranger stumbled, but managed to gain her footing without falling. She had faith that her team would find her, they always did.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

The elevator doors opened and Tyler rushed inside.

"Where is she?" he demanded of Andrew and Spencer.

"We have no idea, Master Tyler," said Spencer. "She seems to have disappeared from the map."

"Well, we know that she didn't." Tyler argued. "People don't just disappear. 30ft Tigerzords don't just disappear!"

Ronny walked forward and put her hand on Tyler's shoulder. "We'll find her," she promised.

"Fuel the SHARC," said Tyler. "I'm going back out there."

"Tyler!" Andrew shouted, stopping his nephew from leaving. "We have no idea where to begin! You'll be of more use here."

"Aliyah is all alone!" Tyler argued. "We have to find her."

"And we will." Andrew nodded. "We'll do everything we can. And, knowing Aliyah, if we can't find her, she'll find us."

Tyler shook his head. "This is the same person that spent six years of her life running away from something that she never wanted," he said. "If she doesn't want to be found..."

"That would be helpful if she run away," said Rose. "But she didn't, she was abducted. We'll find her."

"Yeah," the others nodded, dispersing to different consoles.

Ronny rested her head on Tyler's shoulder and squeezed him in a hug. "Have a little faith," she whispered. "Aliyah's gonna be OK."

Tyler sighed. He didn't know how to feel. He'd just have to trust that his friends meant what they said.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Keeping her alive is a waste of time." Moltor argued. "There are other ways of dealing with this Ranger. She's too powerful to keep in a cell."

"Oh, brother, you've always been so shortsighted." Flurious said. "If we can't operate her Megazord, then we'll need her. Anyway... Norg will make sure she doesn't try to escape."

Moltor growled and shoved Aliyah into the cage. She fell to her knees in the sand, and cringed as the gate was slammed shut on her.

"Uh, I don't really like weapons." Norg said as Flurious presented him with his staff. "Until now," he added, as Flurious snarled at him.

Aliyah sighed as he watched the two brothers leave, all the while wondering what their weaknesses were. If she could figure that out then she'd have a chance of escaping. Once Moltor and Flurious had left completely, the white Ranger turned to her guard. "Norg, that's an interesting name," she said, wondering if he could help her.

"It's a family name." Norg nodded. "It's short for 'No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-rg. I shouldn't be talking to you. Gonna get in trouble. Gonna be quiet now. That's what i'm doing."

"Unluckily for you, Norg, i'm pretty good at getting what I want," said Aliyah. "You know, for being brothers, Flurious and Moltor don't seem to like each other very much."

"Oh no, they -" Norg gasped and slapped his hand over his mouth.

"C'mon," said Aliyah. "There's only us here, and, I won't tell Flurious that you've been talking to me. It'll be our little secret."

Norg looked considerate, before dropping his hand. "OK," he agreed. "They like each other very much. Call each other fun names. Flurious calls his brother 'Nitwit,' and Mr. Moltor calls his brother 'wimpy.' I think they like each other ever since Flurious smashed Mr. Moltor's little red sled."

Aliyah chuckled. "Bingo," she whispered, as she realized she had everything she needed to plan her escape.

"I love sleds." Norg smiled, childishly.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Rose looked up from her console.

"OK, guys, if Aliyah's been captured then where would she go?" she asked. "Where in the world is big enough to hide a Tigerzord, and cloak a ranger's tracking signal?"

"Somewhere isolated." Dax suggested.

"If Aliyah managed to escape and break the isolation that's preventing us from tracking her," said Mack. "Then she's gonna send off a distress signal for us to follow."

"And then we need to get to her as fast as possible." Tyler said.

"Which means we need the Zords fixed, and fast," said Ronny. "Who wants to be on my pit crew?"

The others nodded and headed for the Zord bay.

"Don't need to ask us twice," muttered Will, following them.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After obtaining the information that she needed, Aliyah's plans to escape were put into action as Moltor returned.

"Flurious has asked me to keep an eye on you," he said. "While he starts the Megazord."

"Oh, I can't believe you fell for the old 'Go-Keep-An-Eye-On-The-Prisoner-While-I-Steal-The- Megazord-Out-From-Under-You' line. Flurious was right, you know? You really are a nitwit."

"He said that?!" Moltor growled. "I knew I couldn't trust him!"

He stormed out as Norg gaped at Aliyah. "Oh! You made him mad," he said.

"And i'm not done." Aliyah added as Flurious walked inside.

"Where's Moltor?" Flurious yelled, looking around for his brother. "I told him to check on the prisoner."

"I thought you were the smart one?" Aliyah frowned. "He's probably gather Lava Lizards now to ambush you."

"He wouldn't dare."

"Well, you know, come to think about it, he did say something about payback, something about a little red sled, and something about someone being a... oh, what was it? Oh, yes, a wimp?"

Flurious' face darkened. "CHILLERS!" he bellowed as his foot soldiers rushed into the cave, and Moltor, surrounded by Lava Lizards arrived from the second entrance.

"I knew I couldn't trust you!" Moltor said, pointing at his brother.

"Off planning an ambush?" Flurious asked. "What's with the Lava Lizards?"

"What's with the Chillers?!" Moltor demanded. "Planning on stealing the Megazord?"

"There's no way I - wait a minute - did she tell you that?" Flurious asked, pointing at Aliyah. "Because she told me you were planning an ambush."

"What?!"

Aliyah laughed. "Good cover, Flurious," she nodded. "I think he bought it. He is a wimp."

"I didn't say that." Moltor shouted.

"Oh, you didn't. Well, then, your brother must be right you're a nitwit." Aliyah said, adding fuel to the fire. "Hey, by the way, guys, what's the deal on this sled?"

"ATTACK!"

Aliyah chuckled as the Lava Lizards, Chillers, Moltor and Flurious jumped at one another, battling it out between them. Meanwhile, she had overcome the counteraction property on her cuffs and phased out of them; just as she was about to slip through her bars and escape, her tracker landed in the sand at her feet.

"Sweet," she grinned, picking it up and streaking from the cave. "Tigerzord, here I come."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah sighed as she collapsed onto the sofa in the games room. Her friends sat around her, each one looking just as tired as the last. "I can't express how much it means to me," she said. "To know that you didn't give up on me."

"Hey, we knew you'd call." Ronny said.

"Yeah, and besides, you're family," said Tyler. "Family doesn't get left behind."

Aliyah smiled and nodded her head. "That attack was brutal. Worse than almost falling from the urban climb earlier," she said.

"What?" Rose asked. "I thought Mr. Hartford said you couldn't go to that?"

"Technically, he said that I couldn't go alone." Aliyah corrected.

"But you _did_ go alone." Will pointed out.

"Only because my climbing buddy bailed on me," said Aliyah, glaring at Mack. "What _was_ so important that you broke our deal?"

Mack sighed. "I overheard my dad and Spencer talking this morning," he answered. "And my Dad told Spencer that he was still worried about me. I've done everything I can think of to prove that I'm worthy enough to be a Ranger, what more does he want?"

Aliyah smiled and shook her head.

"You know," she said. "There's isn't an age where our parents ever stop worrying about us. I remember when Cam was forbidden from becoming a Ranger, I managed to talk him into rebelling against his father, which, I'll admit, didn't turn out to be a well thought-out plan because we got caught, but Sensei explained that while he was a Ninja master, he was still Cam's father, and being a father outranks everything. Being a parent to a Ranger, is hard. The constant need to want to continually protect your own, and know that you have to let go. It's not something that is easily done."

"So what do I do?" Mack asked.

"The only thing you _can_ do," said Aliyah. "Talk to Andrew. Make sure he understands how you truly feel about being mollycoddled all the time. I'm sure he'll see sense."

Mack sighed and looked thoughtful.

"I hope you're right, Ali," he said, getting to his feet.

"Oh, I know i'm right." Aliyah smiled, as Mack went off in search of his father.

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Wednesday, 09th October, 2013 at 12:15am**


	10. Lights, Camera, DAX!

**Author's Note:** This chapter was actually quite fun to write, and change from the original.

**Disclaimer: **No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Dedications:** Chapter goes out to the following: **Alice404** for adding this story and/or me to their alerts. Appreciate it mate.

**Warning: **Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Andrew asked, as he showed off his newest creation to the Rangers.

"That's the sweetest thing on wheels I've ever seen." Ronny breathed.

"And it can walk, too." Rose grinned.

"What's it called again?" Aliyah asked.

"Transtek Armor." Andrew answered. "When we track down Kamdor and Miratrix, you're going to need all the firepower you can get."

"When can we try it out?" Tyler asked. "Or does it have a specific red Ranger's name on it?"

Andrew rolled his eyes and put a reassuring hand on his nephew's shoulder. "Actually, when this bad boy is finished, you'll all get a turn."

"Sweet." Tyler grinned, high-fiving Ronny.

"Speaking of you all, where's Dax?" Andrew added, noticing that they were a Ranger missing. No sooner had the question left his mouth did the blue Ranger slide down the pole and grin at his friends.

"Guys, you're not going to believe this!" Dax exclaimed. "I don't even believe it myself. It's..."

"Unbelievable?" Aliyah suggested.

Dax grinned at her. "Yes! Yes! Unbelievable!" he nodded, enthusiastically.

"Whoa, slow down there, chief." Will said, smiling.

"Look what I found in a trade magazine." Dax said, fishing a clipping from his pocket. "'New big-budget movie, Ninja Rumba, is holding open auditions for a handsome actor.'" He chuckled and waved at them. "Hello. 'Who can perform is own stunts.' I'm perfect."

"That's great, Dax." Ronny encouraged. "But we're kind of in the middle of something important here. Remember - saving the world? We need you."

Dax started, down-heartedly at his friends, hoping that they would change their minds. This was a once in a lifetime deal, and it could lead to his big break as an actor. He thought they'd understand that.

"I know," said Dax, nodding rapidly. "But it's only a one-day shoot. Please," he begged.

Aliyah bit her lower lip and looked around at the others. The situation was starting to become awkward, and the look on Dax's face was pulling at her heartstrings. He looked like a little lost puppy that had just been kicked.

"Sorry, Dax, but Ronny's right." Andrew said, shattering Dax's dreams further. "You're needed here. I'm going to have to say no."

"But -" Dax murmured, before sighing. What was the point in arguing? No one ever listened to him anyway.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After having his dreams crushed by Mr. Hartford, Dax received his script from the new movie, and was going over a few lines in the games room. He was so pulled into his activity that he failed to notice Aliyah sneak up behind him.

"I will not give up!" Dax called, dramatically. "Never as long as the blood is still flowing in my veins. I've come for the tacuna idol, and I won't stop my quest until I have it in my hands." He laughed and looked back at the book. "Yeah, i'm pretty good."

"What are you doing?" Aliyah asked, taking pleasure in watching the blue Ranger jump in alarm and spin around, trying to conceal the script behind his back.

"Nothing." Dax answered, quickly. "Why, what does it look like I am doing?"

"It looks like you're acting." Aliyah answered.

"I was. I was reading the lines for that audition i'm going to miss." Dax answered, showing her the script.

"I know that. It meant it _looked_ like you were acting." Aliyah repeated. "Let me let you in on a little secret, Dax, when it comes to acting the objective is to not look like you're acting while acting."

Dax frowned in confusion. "Uh - what?" he asked. There was no point pretending that he had understood any of what Aliyah had just said when he knew very well that he didn't have a clue. "You know what? Never mind. It doesn't matter anyway. Andrew said I couldn't do the audition."

"Actually, he said you couldn't do the movie." Aliyah corrected. "He didn't say anything about not auditioning. Dax, I know this is a dream of yours. Do the audition. If they choose you, just say, no, you're busy doing something else. It's a win-win situation."

"You think?" Dax asked, looking excited.

Aliyah nodded.

"I do the audition, I rock their world, they offer me the part, and I just say no."

"Yup. Now go," said Aliyah. "I'll cover for you with Andrew and the others."

"Wait, why are you helping me?" Dax asked. "I thought you'd agree with the others, you know, being a veteran and everything."

Aliyah shrugged. "I guess I just can't stand seeing anyone crushed," she answered, pushing him towards the door. "Now go, before trouble arises and we gotta book it."

Dax nodded and rushed out.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Phew! This is it." Dax muttered to himself as he stood in line with a few other hopeful auditionists. He was next, after some muscle-bound meat head was finished making a complete fool of himself. OK, so maybe that was a little harsh, but there was no one near as perfect as he was, right? He was a Power Ranger, he could do his own stunts without protection of a harness, and trying to claim the tacuna idol was just like searching for the jewels. Yes, he was too perfect.

"That's it. You're perfect. You got the part." The director called out, addressing the muscle bound meat ahead in front of Dax. "Send the others home," he added to his personal assistant.

"What? Wait, wait." Dax called, chasing after the director. "Uh, you didn't even watch by audition. I'm perfect."

"Listen. I need a hero," said the director. "He looks like a hero. You don't. Better luck next time."

"But - what's the point." Dax sighed as the director walked away. Sighing rejectedly, and turned to leave. As he turned he caught sight of one of the movie lights topple over, it was heading straight for the director. "Look out!" he shouted, jumping at the older man, and knocking him out of harm's way. "Sorry," he apologized, getting back to his feet.

"Whoa, Whoa," said the director, grabbing his arm and stopping him. "That was amazing. You saved me. You really are a hero. What's your name?"

"Dax - Dax Lo."

"You got the part, Dax Lo; this is your big break." The director smiled, nodding. "We shoot your scene in an hour. Can you do it?"

Wide-eyed, Dax stared at the director without really seeing him. Despite Aliyah's words of declining the part if he got it, raced through his mind, Dax still accepted the offer and said -

"Yes!"

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Aliyah slid down the pole into the Overdrive base and rushed towards her friends who were standing around the computer. It had been no more than half an hour since Dax had left, and already the bad guys were attacking.

"I heard the sensors. What's going on?" she said, stopping beside Tyler and Ronny.

"It's a battle for the parchment." Andrew answered. "We need to - wait," he sighed, looking around and realizing that they were down a Ranger. "Where's Dax?"

"Last I saw him; he was taking a walk around the estate." Aliyah answered. "Said something about clearing his mind of the disappointment of not being able to audition. You know how actors are? Very overly dramatic."

Andrew narrowed his eyes at his niece, for some reason he didn't believe an ounce of her story. If he didn't know better, he'd say that she had orchestrated the whole act, and was just playing with him to cover for her team-mate. He knew Aliyah had trust issues, but she was loyal to her friends and team.

"Fine. Grab him on your way out." Andrew said. "Go!"

"C'mon, guys!" Mack said, leading the way towards the door. The others nodded and followed after him, as Andrew reached for his cellphone. He dialed in a number and put the device to his ear.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Dax sighed as he stepped out of his trailer. He was dressed in camouflaged clothes, and had a long-haired brown wig on his head. He definitely looked the part of his character. With a confident smile, Dax approached the director.

"OK. Now, Dax, when I call 'action,' I want you to come running in here looking for the idol." The director explained. "Then Ninjas drop from the sky. You fight the Ninjas, and then you grab the idol. Then I want you to turn to the camera and say your line."

"I don't have to cover my face, right?" Dax asked. Every other film he had been in, he had been a stunt double, and had to hide his face from the camera lens. Just to give the allusion that he and the main actor were the same person.

The director chuckled and shook his head. "Well, I'd prefer it if you didn't," he answered. "You do know your line, right?"

"I've been rehearsing for this moment my entire life." Dax assured the older man.

"Great. All right! We're shooting!" the director shouted to those around the set, and telling them to back off so they weren't in the shot.

Dax grinned, before his heart dropped as his tracker beeped. "Not now," he complained, hiding behind the stone pillar and answering the call. "Yeah?"

"_Dax, get to the beach._" Aliyah ordered. "_I'll send you the co-ordinates._"

"But -"

"_It's not up for discussion, Lo, get your ass to the beach, or i'm coming looking for you."_

The Tracker went dead as Aliyah ended the transmission.

Dax sighed. He knew that Aliyah wasn't kidding. She really would come looking for him, and it wouldn't be a pretty sight when she found him.

"Uh, I'll be right back, everyone." Dax called out. "I've just got to call my agent."

He winced at the feeble lie, but didn't stick around to see if it worked. He rushed off set, following the co-ordinates that Aliyah had sent him.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Dax reached the scene at the same time as his friends.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Tyler asked, seeing the costume the blue Ranger had one. "Halloween isn't for a few months."

"You went to the audition, didn't you?" Mack asked, connecting the dots. "After my dad told you not too."

"Technically, he didn't say I couldn't audition." Dax defended. "He just said I couldn't take the part."

"And?" Ronny prompted.

"I got the part." Dax exclaimed, excitedly. "I tried to say no, but yes came out instead."

Aliyah chuckled and shook her head, just as an explosion caught her attention. She looked around just in time to grab her friends and phase through a second attack from Scaletex.

"Don't try to crash this party!" the dragon growled.

"Too bad," snapped Aliyah. "We already did. Ready."

"Ready!"

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

Once morphed the Rangers jumped down onto the beach to fight the Lava Lizards. While Ronny, Rose, Tyler and Will fought the foot soldiers, Mack and Aliyah went after Scaletex, leaving Dax to witness Kamdor and Miratrix making a break for the cave.

"They're heading to the cave." Dax called to his friends.

"Go after them." Aliyah told him, as Scaletex picked her up and threw her into Mack. He then raced off after the blue Ranger. "Dax, behind you!" she shouted.

Dax turned and fought off the dragon, long enough for Tyler to drop in and take the creature off of Dax's hands.

"Get the parchment." Tyler said, kicking Scaletex away.

"Right." Dax nodded, disappearing into the cavern after Miratrix and Kamdor.

Scaletex roared and aimed a punch at Tyler.

"Sabre blade!" Aliyah shouted, jumping to her cousin's defense and blocking the punch. She then jumped up and kicked him in the stomach, knocking him away.

"Drive Lance!" Mack yelled, charging at the monster. Not expecting the attack, Scaletex growled as the weapon pierced his skin, but he recovered quickly and knocked the red Ranger away.

"Drive Hammer!" Will shouted, trying to slam his weapon down on top of the dragon and crush him. But the dragon proved stronger when he blocked the attack, and shoved the black Ranger aside.

"Drive Claw!"

"Drive Geyser!"

"Drive Sabre!"

The dragon cried out as the three new attacks sent him hurtling backwards. With the dragon down, the Rangers regrouped.

"You're no match for us!" Aliyah shouted.

"I beg to differ!" the dragon said, firing his laser blasts at the Rangers and knocking them off of their feet again. "The parchment!" he added, once his enemies where down. He rushed towards the cave opening, but was buried underneath the rocks as they fell from the ceiling.

The Rangers winced as they watched him get buried alive.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

As Dax returned to his film, the Rangers returned to the base.

"We almost had them," whined Ronny. "But those slippery slugs slipped away."

"They're Ninjas," said Tyler. "They're supposed to be elusive."

"Not helping." Ronny pouted at him.

Tyler chuckled and squeezed her in a one-armed hug, while Andrew set his sights on Aliyah.

"Where's Dax?" he asked.

"Upstairs." Aliyah answered without fail. "He's getting a snack. All that thinking really worked him up an appetite."

Andrew shot her a look, one that clearly told her that he didn't believe her. "Just stop with the lies, Aliyah," he scolded.

"Hark, look who is talking!" Aliyah scoffed. "If anyone around here is adept at keeping secrets and telling lies, it is you. You want to know where Dax is, honestly. He's at the audition. An audition that, technically, no one said he _couldn't_ attend."

"I said -" Andrew started.

"You said he couldn't take the part," interrupted Aliyah. "You didn't say he couldn't audition. At times like this you've got to read between the lines. It's always been Dax's dream to be an actor. He finally gets his big break, and you rip it away from him, who in the hell gave you the right to do that?"

"He's a Power Ranger; the fate of the world must come first." Andrew argued. "By taking that part, Dax has disrespected me and this team."

"He hasn't _disrespected_ anyone." Aliyah snapped. "It's not your call to make on someone else's dreams. Besides, if it's a one-day shoot, I don't see how it is going to interfere with Dax's duties as a Power Ranger, there are still six us to pick up the slack."

"How did you even know?" Tyler asked.

"I own the studio that's making that film." Andrew answered.

"Ah. What don't you own?"

Andrew chuckled at his nephew, and turned back to his niece. "You and I will continue this argument later," he warned her. "Let's just hope that Dax realizes what's at stake here, without encouragement."

"Whatever." Aliyah muttered with a roll of her eyes. She folded her arms over her stomach, and looked away from her Uncle.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Ronny jumped as the monitors beeped unexpectedly. The team was still recovering from the shouting match from Andrew and Aliyah - two people who were still not talking to each other - and waiting to see if Dax made the right decision and came back to them.

"Looks like Kamdor and Miratrix found some help." Andrew said, inspecting the screens. "Think you guys can handle it? You're only six."

"Six is plenty." Aliyah said, hotly. "I don't know why they'd want to increase their shame and humiliation by being cut down by -"

"Seven Rangers." Dax said as he arrived via the poles.

"Dax! You're back!" the other Rangers laughed and smiled, as they hurried off to join their friend.

"So, how was your first starring role?" Andrew asked, although he didn't look nor sound impressed.

Dax swallowed and sighed. "It was great," he chuckled. "But I blew the shot at the last second, because I realized that the acting thing was something that I wanted just for me. This Power Ranger thing is something I do for a lot more people. My movie career can wait."

Aliyah smiled and winked as Dax looked across at her. She was proud of him. Given she had encouraged him in the beginning, but she had always known that he knew where he rightfully belonged. He just needed a little help to see and realize it.

"Sorry guys," said Dax. "Sorry, Mr. Hartford."

"Apology accepted." Andrew nodded. "Consequences to come later."

"Ooooh!" the others laughed.

Dax nodded. He deserved any punishment that Andrew Hartford deemed worthy of him.

"Right now, you have a job to do." Andrew said, cutting into the Ranger's fun. "Go."

Aliyah patted Dax on the shoulder as they followed the others into the elevator. "Nice job," she whispered, as the doors closed on them.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"This is crazy!" Tyler shouted as he deflected a blow from one of the stunt men. He was wrapped from head-to-toe in black clothing, and using a mask to hide everything but his eyes. "He's not even a real Ninja."

"Not the point, Ty!" Ronny shouted, jumping over the green Ranger and taking out the Lava Lizards that had gone for a blitz attack. "Besides, isn't this what Ninja's look like?"

Tyler shrugged. "Our uniforms are leather," he answered. "But they got the general aspect right."

Ronny laughed and shook her head. "You're weird," she commented.

"But you wouldn't have me any other way." Tyler said, blasting a couple of Lava Lizards away.

Aliyah cringed at the green and yellow Rangers. "You guys want to leave the flirting until the battle is over?" she asked, running mid-way up the steel containers and flipping over the stuntmen. "We gotta do something! There's just too many of them - whoa!" she cried out as a stuntman grabbed her shoulder and kicked her in the back of the knee, forcing her to the ground.

"_Hang in there, Rangers._" Andrew encouraged from the base.

"Easy for him to say." Aliyah muttered, as Dax helped her back to her feet.

"_Get ready for some serious backup, Rangers,_" said Andrew. "_Downloading the Transtek armour_."

Aliyah and Dax looked around as their new arsenal appeared ahead of them. "Whoo-hoo! Yeah!" they cheered, high-fiving one another.

"This car's all mine!" Dax said, jumping in behind the controls.

Aliyah nodded and raced off to help Mack fight Kamdor, while Dax used the new armour to take out everything that was within striking distance.

"That's a wrap." Dax grinned at the end of the battle. He stood in front of the Transtek vehicle, holding the parchment that Kamdor had lost during the battle.

The blue ninja grunted and stumbled back towards Miratrix.

"This isn't over." He threatened, disappearing. As he did so the stuntmen glowed purple and slumped to the ground.

"What happened?" One of them asked, looking up at Tyler and Ronny.

Tyler shrugged. "The spell is broken, dude," he said. "Don't jinx it by asking what happened."

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Ronny grinned as she walked backwards into the games room with the other Rangers. They were all gushing over the Transtek armour that Dax had had the privilege of trying out for the first time earlier.

"That was awesome! I can't believe that Transtek's power!" Ronny said, tripping over her words.

"It was off the hook." Will agreed.

"I better give this parchment to Mr. H so he can decode it." Rose said, excitedly.

Aliyah groaned. "Why did you give the parchment to her?" she asked, looking at Tyler. "We could've hidden it, relaxed for a day, and then given it to Andrew."

"Uncle Andrew." Tyler corrected.

"Bite me." Aliyah snapped.

The sound of clanging caused the Rangers to stop and turn to Spencer. The butler had just entered the room and put a bucket, mop, some cleaning gloves and a box of cleaning supplies on the floor.

"Everyone who thinks they don't deserve latrine duty, step back one pace." Spencer instructed.

All of the Rangers stepped backwards.

"Master Dax, not so fast." Spencer said, stopping the blue Ranger.

"Ooh," the other Rangers laughed.

"Wait, what about Aliyah?" Dax asked. "She's just as much to blame as I am."

Aliyah glared at the blue Ranger. "After everything I've done for you today?" she asked. "This is how you pay me back? That's cold, dude."

"Oh, Aliyah's not getting away with this, any less than you are, Dax." Spencer assured him. "Mr. Hartford wishes to speak with her regarding the grounds of her punishment."

"What?" Aliyah asked. "Why? I haven't done anything wrong."

"Aside from aiding and abetting in a deception." Spencer said.

"Technically, it wasn't a deception," said Aliyah. "Because, theoretically, Andrew said that Dax _could_ do the audition, just not take the role, and _I_ told Dax to say no. It's not my fault he said yes."

Dax gaped at her.

"Now who's being cold?" he asked.

"Hey, you were happy to drag me under the bus," shrugged Aliyah. "Therefore, I'm all for leaving you there."

"Neither of you will be getting out from under the bus," said Spencer. "Not until your punishment is lifted. Now, Dax, your consequences are that you have to clean get to clean all the bathrooms."

"Ah, that's not so bad." Dax said, thinking he was getting off easy.

Mack whistled. "My friend, you don't know how many bathrooms this place has." He said, patting Dax's shoulder.

"Twenty-Seven." Spencer answered, as Dax looked around at him.

"What?!" Dax exclaimed, as he was handed his tools.

"Enjoy."

The Rangers laughed as Dax left the room. Spencer paused at the door, and turned up to Aliyah. "Mr. Hartford is in his office, Aliyah; he wishes to speak with you now." He said.

Aliyah sighed and shrugged. "Well, i'm guessing my punishment can't be any worse than having to clean the bathrooms," she muttered, as she left the room. Unaware that her punishment included Cam and any visitation rights that Andrew had seen fit to provide him with.

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**A/N:** If it's not clear enough – Aliyah's punishment is Andrew revoking the rights for Cam to come visit Aliyah. At least until he deems her worthy enough to have her punishment lifted. (How does this end well?)

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Monday, 14th October, 2013 at 04:15am**


	11. Face to Face, Part I

**Author's** **Note:** Where did everyone go again? Part 2 of this episode won't be uploaded until I have got the next few episode written up. I'll try to work as fast as I can but I make no promises as my work starts to build as the weeks go past. Anyway, here is **Face to Face, Part I**

**Disclaimer:** No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Dedications:** N/A

**Warning:** Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"Uncle Andrew, this is ridiculous." Tyler sighed as he followed Hartford around the base. "You've been working on the new zord 24/7. You've got to take a break."

"Your pleas fall on deaf ears." Spencer told the green Ranger. "I've been telling him the same thing for the past two days."

"The sonic streaker isn't just any Zord, Tyler." Andrew answered. "With the speed and agility of shark, but with the most advanced weaponry I've ever developed."

"Great." Tyler nodded, patting Andrew's shoulder. "Now, how about I get you a sandwhich?"

Spencer quickly looked up. "I'll get the sandwhiches around here, if you don't mind," he said. "Let's keep our duties clear. After all, you don't see me traipsing around in one of those shiny uniforms, do you?"

"Ah, come on, Spencer," said Tyler, grinning at the butler. "You're in pretty good shape. You'd look great in Ranger green."

"True." Spencer nodded. "Although I'd prefer Ranger red."

Tyler laughed. "I think you'd have a hard time getting the red morpher from Mack," he said. "I'm not completely sure if he sleeps with his Tracker."

"Well, either way," said Spencer. "For my age, I'm still quite ripped. He walked away to make sandwhiches, while Andrew turned to his nephew.

"Do you want a sneak preview?" he asked. Originally he had planned to give the preview to his son, but Mack was busy elsewhere, and Tyler was always complaining about not having a Zord, so he decided to indulge his new-found nephew.

Tyler grinned and nodded.

Andrew led the green Ranger over to the main computer, and brought up an image of the new Zord.

"Incredible." Tyler gasped.

"I haven't told you the best part." Andrew said. "You're gonna be the pilot , if you're up for it?"

Tyler's eyes widened and he turned, happily, to his uncle. "For real?" he asked. "I finally get a Zord? You're not pulling my leg now, are you? Because this would be a pretty sick joke if you were."

Andrew chuckled and shook his head. "Nope. I've finally created your Zord," he smiled.

"Oh, yeah!" Tyler cheered. "Finally, not only do I get to join the others in battle, but I can also fly a jet, oh this is too good to be true. Wait till I tell the others." He turned and raced out of the lab, passing Spencer who had returned with a sandwhich for Mr. Hartford.

"Ah, youth." Spencer chuckled.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Guys! Aliyah, Mack, Ronny!" Tyler shouted, racing into the games room to find three out of six Rangers sitting on the sofas. They were channel surfing, flipping between the grand prix in Germany, music videos, and adventure shows. "Where's the others, I got something to tell you, and it's gonna blow you away."

"Andrew finally made you a Zord." Aliyah said, flipping the TV back to her music videos.

Tyler frowned at his cousin. "How'd you know?" he asked, deflating slightly.

"Because nothing else could make you this excited." Aliyah said. "And you've been bugging about not having a Zord for way too long that I was tempted to call Cam and ask him to create you a zord, just to shut you up."

"I thought Dad said you couldn't have contact with Cam?" Mack asked.

Aliyah shrugged. "Just because your dad say's i'm not allowed something, doesn't mean i'm gonna listen," she said. "He said I wasn't allowed to Skype Cam, either, but whenever I Skype Tori, Cam is there, what am I supposed to tell him? That I can't talk to him because my Uncle's punishing me?"

"Well, yeah," nodded Mack.

"Meh. What Andrew doesn't know, won't hurt him." Aliyah said.

Tyler shook his head, and jumped over the back of the couch, collapsing onto it beside Ronny. "Whatever. Oh, did you know that the new Zord can reach mach 2 in less than 30 seconds?" he asked, coming back to his main reason for hunting them down. "And the superthrusters boost the speed to mach 3 in less than a minute." He added, excitedly.

Aliyah, Mack and Ronny exchanged looks, rolling their eyes at the over-energized green Ranger.

"Yeah. Sounds slamming." Mack said, wrestling the remote away from Aliyah, and flipping the channel back to his choice.

Just then the doors opened up, and Rose, Will and Dax walked in. Rose was carrying the parchment, and talking excitedly to the blue and black Rangers about it.

"Good news, guys." Rose said, spotting the others near the TV. "I think I made some progress in figuring out how to read this parchment."

"Don't tell me," said Ronny with a quirky smirk. "You looked it up in the Alien-to-English dictonary?"

Aliyah snickered.

"No, but I called a colleague at the University, Professor Ryan, he's a total genius when it comes to languages and codes. I'm going to take him the parchment to see if he can figure any of it out."

"Cam could've done it in half the time." Aliyah pouted, slapping Mack across the chest, as she snatched the remote from his hands.

"You're not allowed to see him," the others exclaimed.

"Hey," said Aliyah, pointing at Dax. "I'd watch your tone if I were you, blue boy, you're the bloody reason i'm not allowed to see my boyfriend."

"What did I do?" Dax frowned, pointing at himself.

"You and your stupid audition." Aliyah said.

"You didn't _have_ to help me."

"I told you _not_ to take the part." Aliyah argued. "We would've gotten away with the whole deal if you had just listened to me. But no, you had to go and say yes, and drop us both in hot water!"

Dax held his hands up in defence. "OK, OK, I'll admit, I screwed up," he said. "But, anyway, Rose, can I come along to London? I've never been to jolly old England."

"Sure." Rose smiled.

"Hey, while you're at it," said Mack. "Take Tyler too. He can tell you all about the sonic streaker then."

"Oh, great idea." Tyler grinned, jumping to his feet. "Hey, Rose, Dax, check it out. The main turbines, right, can generate over 1,000 horsepower, well, depending on the altitude and air density, obviously."

As the blue, pink and green Rangers left the room; Mack, Aliyah, Ronny and Will grinned at one another, with Tyler off in London, bugging Rose and Dax, they had free run of the manor, and the perfect solitude to go with it.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Professor Ryan smiled as he, Rose, Dax and Tyler, sat at a small cafe table on the University campus. In front of him was the parchment that Rose had explained so much about, but he couldn't decipher every little detail about it.

"Fascinating," the professor murmured.

"But can you understand any of the symbols, Professor?" Rose asked.

Before Professor Ryan could answer, a bolt of lightning hit their table and they were all thrown to the floor. While the monster, the one responsible for the attack, jumped over the table, snatching the parchment which had been left behind.

"Professor Ryan, are you OK?" Rose asked, checking on the old man.

"Yes, i'm fine," the older man nodded.

"Hey, stop!" Tyler shouted, following after the monster as he raced away from the campus. "Ready!"

"Ready!" Rose and Dax nodded, reaching for their Trackers.

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

"Follow me." Rose said, leading them around the inside of the building. They came out in front of the monster, stopping him in his tracks just beyond the exit. He had the parchment clutched in his hand, and he looked surprised to see they were cutting off his path.

"All right. Hand over that parchment, now!" Tyler said, holding up his blaster.

With a ferocious roar a giant dragon landed between the Rangers and the newest monster. "Don't worry, Tyzonn," he said. "I'll take care of these colourful pests."

"Great, another one of Moltor's goons." Dax complained.

"Here's a message from him." The dragon said, blasting the Rangers with his staff. With the Rangers down, the monster known as Tyzonn, run off in the opposite direction to the fighting.

"Hey!" Tyler shouted, spotting him. "Stop!"

Tyzonn paused and turned back, only to be bowled over as Tyler grabbed his shoulders as he landed, and propelled them both onto the ground. Tyzonn managed to wrestle himself out of Tyler's grasp, jump to his feet and take off running again.

"Wait!" Tyler yelled, racing after him.

"Tyzonn! Get out of here!" the dragon roared, before he was attacked by both Rose and Dax.

Tyler finally caught up with Tyzonn as he tried to escape over the rooftops. "Give me that parchment," the green Ranger said, struggling to get Tyzonn to release his grip.

"Let me go." Tyzonn said, tugging the parchment back. He tugged a little too hard and ended up pulling both himself and Tyler off of the roof. Landing on his feet, Tyler spin-kicked Tyzonn, knocking back a few steps.

Throwing his clawed fist at Tyler, Tyzonn tried to hit the green Ranger with a strand of lightning, but Tyler was prepared. He chanelled the lightning into his suit, and fired it back at Tyzonn, knocking him down.

Tyzonn grunted as he hit the ground on his stomach. He gasped when he looked up, surprised to find a small crystal shattered on the ground. "Oh no," he murmured, scrambling to pick it up.

"Got it!" Tyler announced, grabbing the parchment from Tyzonn, but the monster held it firmly within his claws.

"No, you don't." Tyzonn argued, pulling the parchment back towards it. There was an almighty rip, and the parchment tore.

Tyler groaned as Tyzonn hit him across the stomach, sending him flying backwards, while the dragon finished up with Rose and Dax.

"Let's go." The dragon yelled, running off to join Tyzonn. He swept his staff around them, and they disappeared in a burst of flame.

"Aw, man, we lost them." Dax complained.

"Tyler!" Rose shouted, running towards the green Ranger. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah." Tyler nodded.

"Hey, what's that?" Dax asked, pointing at the piece of parchment in Tyler's hand.

"All I could get of the parchment." Tyler sighed.

"Hey, what's this?" Rose asked, noticing a small half-crystal on the floor. She picked it up and examined it.

Tyler shook his head as the pink Ranger put the diamond in his hand. "I dunno," he said. "But let's get back. We can figure everything out at the base."

Dax and Rose nodded.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Professor Ryan sighed and looked to Rose. They were back at Hartford Manor in San Angeles, he had been brought here to translate the parchment seeing as it was safer than in England.

"Unfortunately, I can't translate all of it," said Professor Ryan. "But I do recognize some of these symbols from extraterrestrial crop circles. This one," he pointed at the half sphere in the middle of the page, "represents 'mountain,' and I think this one means 'diamond.'"

"This is it, Rangers." Andrew said, looking up at his team. "I have a feeling that this document can lead us right to the second Jewel of the Corona Aurora."

The team grinned.

After his job had been completed, Professor Ryan was packing for his journey back to London. He still had classes to teach, and needed to be back as soon as possible. "I'm sorry, Rose," he said as the pink Ranger came to see him off. "Without the entire parchment, that's all I can tell you."

"Thank you, Professor," said Rose. "You've been a great help. We'll take it from here."

"We're all very proud of you at the University, Rose." Ryan added. "I think you're our only alumnus who's gone on to become a real-life superhero."

"Maybe when this is all done, I can come back and teach a class on it." Rose smiled.

Aliyah watched as Rose and the Professor left the room, before turning back to the diamond that Mack was scanning. "Anything interesting?" she asked.

"Nope. No jewel signature of any kind." Mack answered. "Just like your average piece of space quartz."

"It can't be nothing," said Tyler, joining them. "I mean, that alien got really upset over it, you only do that if something means a lot to you."

"Yeah. Out of all the monsters that have tried to pulverize us," said Dax, wandering over. "He was definitely the most sensitive."

Tyler shot him a cold look.

"Come on, Ty, he was just like any other cold-blooded, lizard-faced freak."

"No, no," said Tyler. "There was something different about this one."

"Well, if he works for Moltor," said Aliyah. "I don't need to see his resume. He's going down."

Suddenly the alarms sounded loudly throughout the whole manor. Andrew, who was sitting at his desk, jumped and looked up at the TV screen as it changed to show the latest attack on the city.

"_Power Rangers, there will be more destruction if you don't bring us the parchment. I suggest you do before anyone gets hurt._"

"He doesn't have to tell me twice." Aliyah said, leaning against the office wall, watching the TV. "Anyone mind if I take the Transtek?"

"Go for it, Aliyah." Andrew confirmed.

"Sweet." Aliyah grinned, turning and running across the room. She flipped a switch under the mantlepiece and the far wall spun around to reveal the poles leading to the Ranger base. "Look out, baddies, i'm ready to rock," she said, sliding down the middle pole and morphing before she reached the bottom.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

The ground rumbled and debris fell from destroyed buildings as Tyzonn and his dragon friend trampled through. There were still innocent people within the vicinity, but the dragon didn't seem to care, but his lizard friend did.

"So, like my handiwork?" the Dragon asked, blasting another giant hole in a nearby building, and causing more people to run screaming.

"Do you have to cause so much destruction?" Tyzonn asked.

"That's the fun part." The dragon laughed.

"At least wait until everyone's out of the area."

As the innocent people run screaming, the Rangers arrived, herding them in the direction of safety.

The dragon laughed when he saw a woman trip and fall, but when Tyzonn looked up and saw a mass of debris fall from the building above her, he ran forward, hoping to help her before the debris hit her.

"No!" he yelled, reaching out a scaled hand.

The woman looked up and screamed, raising her hands to try and protect herself. Thankfully she was saved when a mechanical arm reached out and grabbed the cement, right above her head.

"Whao! That was a close one." Alihah sighed.

Tyzonn reached the woman and grabbed her shoulders. "Hurry! Get out of here!" he said, but the woman screamed, thinking he was going to attack her. "Hey! It's OK."

"Get away from her!" Aliyah yelled, pushing forward on her controls and transforming the Transtek into its little robot form. "Alright, you asked for it!" she added, powering up her blasters, and blasting Tyzonn across the yard.

He landed on the ground beside the dragon.

"Enough!" the dragon growled, pulling his lizard friend to his feet. "You know what we're here for." He looked up as the Rangers re-grouped and stood in front of him. "Now tht we have your attention, where's the parchment?"

"Right here." Tyler answered, holding up the corner he had managed to salvage.

"Tyzonn, get it from him." The dragon ordered.

"Yes." Tyzonn nodded, walking to meet Tyler.

Aliyah frowned and caught her cousins arm. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked. "We can't give that to him."

"I'm not." Tyler whispered. "Just be ready."

"Ty -"

"Trust me, Ali," said the green Ranger. "I know what i'm doing."

Aliyah sighed and let go of his arm. She stepped back in line, beside the others, but her eyes were on Tyzonn and Tyler at all times.

Walking forward, Tyler powered down, still holding the parchment out to Tyzonn.

"What is he doing?" Mack asked, startled.

"I dunno." Aliyah said, shaking her head. She was on pins as she watched and waited for the outcome between her cousin and Tyzonn.

"Hand me the parchment." Tyzonn demanded.

"I saw you try to help that woman." Tyler said. "You're not like the others, are you?"

"I am one of them." Tyzonn said, trying to snatch the parchment.

Tyler ripped it away from him, and shouted to his team-mates from over his shoulder.

Rose and Will stepped forward, firing their weapons at the dragon. Two thin wires wrapped around the monster trapping his arms to his waist and preventing him from doing anything but teetering on his feet.

With Tyzonn distracted, Tyler tried to grab him, but the lizard was quicker and knocked him away. Getting the upper hand, Tyzonn managed to subdue Tyler, before running off without the parchment.

"Wait." Tyler shouted, giving chase.

"Tyler!" Mack and Aliyah shouted, but the green Ranger was long gone.

The dragon growled and snapped the binds that were tied around him. "Lava Lizards," he shouted, summoning the hot-headed foot soldiers. "Let's play!"

"We don't have time for this!" Aliyah yelled, jumping straight into the thick of the oncoming forces. While Rose, Ronny, Will and Dax fought the lava lizards, she and Mack went straight for the dragon.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Wait!" Tyler shouted as he chased Tyzonn through the trees. He would have used Ninja streak, seeing as it was easier than running, and he knew that he would catch Tyzonn in half the time if he did, but he also didn't want to freak him out any more than he already was. But Tyzonn didn't stop running, he didn't even slow down.

Deciding that he was getting nowhere by just chasing Tyzonn, Tyler sighed and kicked into Ninja-streak. He cut across the woodland with ease, and landed in front of the lizard, blocking off his path.

"Wait. Stop." Tyler said.

"Get away from me." Tyzonn demanded, blasting Tyler again with a bolt of lightning.

"Haven't we already done this?" Tyler asked, catching the lightning bolt and channelling it through his body. He clenched his hand, and gritted his teeth, as the energy simmed down, and Tyzonn was left looking bewildered.

"How did you -?"

"I control lightning." Tyler answered. "I can also channel it if it is used against me. Look, I don't want to fight you. I'm not your enemy."

"I said stay away from me." Tyzonn growled, stepping closer.

Tyler refused to back down. "Listen, i'm not going to hurt you," he said. "I don't think you want to hurt me, either. Who are you?"

"I am no one." Tyzonn answered. "And when Moltor finds out I don't have the whole parchment, it won't matter anyway. I will be eliminated."

"Looks like we're at a crossroad," said Tyler. "We both need the whole parchment, yet neither of us are willing to budge. Looks like we both lose."

"What is this document?" Tyzonn asked. "Why does everyone seek it?"

"You mean you don't know?" Tyler asked, confused. Why would Moltor send someone out to steal the parchment, but not tell them what it was or for. "It leads to one of the jewels of the Corona."

"The Corona Aurora has been found?" Tyzonn asked, startled.

"Ah, so, you've heard of it?" Tyler smirked. "Yeah, it's been found, here on Earth. Now Moltor and every other evil thug in the galaxy are coming after it."

"But if Moltor gets the jewels, he'll use them to crush everything that's good on all planets." Tyzonn explained.

Tyler nodded. "Yeah, I know. Me and my friends, we were put together to fight Moltor, and the others from getting their hands on the jewels, but we can't do that without the parchment that you took from us. If you're really not like them, then give me the rest of the parchment. Please."

Tyzonn growled, but didn't hand over the parchment. Instead he looked at Tyler and started to walk away. "I must go," he said, disappearing into the trees.

Tyler exhaled heavily, and then followed after him.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Look out!" Aliyah yelled as and Ronny were flipped over and landed on the ground beside Will and Mack. The dragon - Bullox - smirked and approached the fallen Rangers.

"That was easier than I thought!" he laughed. "Moltor will be pleased when I eliminate you!"

"STOP!"

The six Rangers and Bullox looked up and saw Tyzonn running towards them. He jumped of Bullox and stood protectively in front of the fallen Rangers, shielding them with his arms.

"Don't hurt them anymore."

"Tyzonn, what are you doing here?" Bullox asked. "Do you have the rest of the parchment?"

"No, and I won't get it for you."

Aliyah lifted her head and frowned up at the lizard.

"I won't get it." Tyzonn said, falling to his knees. "I can't be a part of this anymore. I made a big mistake."

"Yes, you have," said Moltor as he appeared in a flash of flame.

"Moltor, this destruction has to stop." Tyzonn said, walking towards him. "I don't care about our deal. I won't help you anymore."

"I see." Moltor nodded. "Well, here is what happens to traitors!"

He grabbed his sword and spun around, slashing it down Tyzonn's arm, causing green sticky blood to ooze out onto the ground.

"Do your worst." Tyzonn said, biting through the searing pain. He would not help Moltor, and was prepared to die if need be.

Moltor growled and swung his sword around again, but before it could strike Tyzonn it hit another sword. Tyler landed between Tyzonn and Moltor, using his drive defender to protect the lizard.

"Back off, Moltor." Tyler snapped, pushing his weight against his defender, and sending Moltor stumbling away.

"If I have to go through you to get to him, then so be it." Moltor said, raising his sword and rushing forward, but before he could attack either Tyler or Tyzonn, Aliyah landed in his path and kicked him in the stomach.

"Tyler, go!" she shouted over her shoulder. "Bring back the lizard."

"His name's Tyzonn."

Aliyah shook her head and blocked Moltor's sword. She threw her weight against him, and then jumped up and kicked him in the chest. He flew back away from her, denting a structure beam as he hit it.

"I don't care what his name is," said Aliyah, turning to her cousin. "Either bring him back with the parchment, or get the parchment and come back alone."

Tyler nodded and run off after Tyzonn who had, once again, fled the battlefield.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Heeding Aliyah's advice, Tyler found Tyzonn slumped against a tree just inside the forest. He was bleeding a green substance from his arm, and looked to be in a considerable amount of pain.

"Here," said Tyler, taking a bandage from his pocket. "Let me help." He took Tyzonn's arm and started to wrap the bandage around the wound.

"It seems even with these hideous scales, I'm vulnerable to injury. Moltor would have finished me off if you hadn't saved me."

Tyler shrugged. "Hey, we all have weaknesses," he said. "And saving people is what I do."

"I owe you my thanks."

Holding out his hand, Tyler smiled.

Tyzonn hesitated, before taking the offered limb and shaking it.

"My name's Tyler," the green Ranger said.

"I was once called Tyzonn, and I've brought shame to my planet by bowing to Moltor's will."

"Hey, we all make mistakes," said Tyler.

"If you'll trust me, I'd like to make amends for the harm I've done." Tyzonn said, pulling out his side of the parchment. "Moltor must be stopped."

Tyler nodded and took his piece from his pocket. "It is my cousin that doesn't trust easily," he said. "Me? I didn't just risk my life to save yours, only to turn my back on you at the last second. Besides, I couldn't agree more when you say that Moltor needs to be stopped." He held his corner piece of parchment in line with the place he had ripped it from and smiled as a golden shimmer rippled across the paper, resealing it and making the map whole again. "Alright. We better go." He added, looking around.

His Ninja senses were telling him that something was wrong. There was trouble in the forest around them, and he didn't want to become trapped with no means of escape, with Tyzonn and the newly formed parchment.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After seeing Tyler and Tyzonn fleeing the battle, Bullox and Moltor had dealt with the other Rangers, before giving chase, leaving the Rangers to follow in their wake.

"Why did you tell Tyler to flee?" Mack asked Aliyah.

"I didn't tell him to flee." Aliyah corrected. "I told him to follow the lizard. I told him that the lizard had the parchment, and that he was to either a) return with the lizard _and_ the parchment, or b) return with just the parchment. I really don't care which one."

"Hey, guys, over here." Will called. He was squatted down a few feet away with Dax and Rose, and was inspecting a pool of green blood on the forest floor.

"What is this stuff, anyway?" Dax asked.

Rose touched it with her fingers. "I think it's Alien blood," she said, sniffing her fingers. "Ough! It smells disgusting."

"I don't get it." Mack frowned. "Why would Moltor be fighting one of his own?"

"I don't know, but that thing could be even more dangerous now that it's injured." Ronny said. "We have to find Tyler and get him away from it."

Aliyah sighed and threw her head back. "Ty's fine," she soothed. "He's more than just a Power Ranger, he's a Ninja and a Sensei, trust me, he knows what he is doing, and he can defend himself if need be."

"I'll be the judge of that." Ronny said.

**~*Secret and Lies*~**

"Can you read these symbols?" Tyler asked, showing Tyzonn the new parchment.

"No. This language is unfamiliar to me." Tyzonn answered, causing dread to settle in the green Ranger. If no human could translate the parchment, and Tyzonn, who was an alien couldn't translate the parchment then who could translate it?

"We better get it back to base then." Tyler said. "Before something bad happens."

No sooner had the words left his lips did a small army of Lava Lizards appear in front, beside, and behind him.

"Great." Tyler groaned. "Next time, Ty, just keep your mouth shut!"

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Tuesday, 15th October, 2013 at 01:06am**


	12. Face to Face, Part II

**Author's Note: **I am sorry to have to say this, but I have not had time to get ahead writing in this story. This is the last pre-written chapter that I have for Secrets and Lies so I have no idea when they next chapter will be posted. I will try and get ahead in writing the next 12 episodes for this story, and come back ASAP. I cannot thank you enough for your patience. You're all brilliant. I am hoping to get as much of my Uni work done as possible so that I have three weeks off over Christmas to come back to my stories.

**Disclaimer:** No copyright infringement intended in the making of this series. I simply own my OCs and anything that is unrecognizable from the show. Power Rangers belongs to Saban although Operation Overdrive was created by Disney. Enjoy.

**Dedications:** N/A

**Warning:** Rated T for safety.

* * *

**Title:** Secrets and Lies

**Summary:** Aliyah thought that Rebecca and Tyler were the only family she had left until she landed in San Angeles six months ago. Now, after being approached by a man who claims to be her mother's brother, she's pulled into another life and death battle for Earth.

* * *

"Think you're well enough to fight?" Tyler asked looking over at Tyzonn.

"Ha! These creeps? Watch me!" Tyzonn nodded. He rushed forward and swung his staff around at several Lava Lizards, knocking them down within seconds.

Tyler smirked and followed him forward, jumping over plenty of lizards and kicking those behind the others down with one kick. Pushing himself off of the ground, the green Ranger flipped over as two Lava Lizards collided after rushing at him from either side; Tyler chuckled and landed, before sliding across the floor and sweeping several more Lava Lizards off of their feet.

Meanwhile, Tyzonn was holding his own and taking down Lizard after Lizard with little to no ease. His staff glinted as it was swung around, but it struck each of its targets on the first try. Throwing his staff away from him, Tyzonn jumped and kicked several more lizards as the staff acted like a boomerang, however once it came back to him, he found that the Lizards had backed him into a corner.

Concentrating hard on a way to get out of the mess he had gotten himself into, Tyzonn felt his body become light weight and, when he opened his eyes, he saw that he was standing behind the lizards rather than in front of them.

"Huh. Interesting." Tyzonn said, realizing what he had done. "Nice to know not everything's changed."

"OK. I don't know what you just did, but it was impressive." Tyler called from across the clearing.

The Lava Lizards screeched and jumped at the two. Tyzonn took out his by jumping into the air, while Tyler teleported out and then back in after the lizards had struck themselves.

"Huh, now I'm impressed." Tyzonn admitted.

Tyler smiled and nodded.

With the Lava Lizards all done and dusted, both Tyler and Tyzonn resumed their journey back to the Hartford base.

"So, wait a minute," said the green Ranger. "You come from a reptilian race that can liquidize into mercury at will? Yeah, that totally makes sense."

"I'm not a reptile!" Tyzonn replied, hotly, stepping in front of the Ninja and gabbing the front of his clothes.

"My bad." Tyler responded, calmly. "Must have been all the scales that gave me that impression."

Tyzonn sighed and released him. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Listen, if i'm gonna trust you, I need to know the whole story." Tyler said. He reached for his Tracker and switched it off, knowing that the others would use it to try and tack his location. "You have my full attention."

"I don't even know where to start." Tyzonn admitted.

"The beginning," said Tyler. "It's usually a good place. Or, you could always start with this." He held up the half a crystal that Tyzonn had left behind in London.

Tyzonn took one look at it and gasped.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Ronny was starting to become frantic.

"We've combed every inch of these woods," she said, pacing up and down the base. "Tyler and that creature are nowhere to be found."

"Did you find anything here?" Mack asked looking at his father hopefully.

"Unfortunately, no," said Andrew. "He's even turned off his Tracker."

"Why would he do that?" Rose asked, confused.

"Because he doesn't want to be found." Aliyah said. "But that doesn't mean we're going to give up," she added, seeing the distressed look on Ronny's face. "We'll find him. We just have to keep looking."

The team nodded and dispersed.

"Spencer." Andrew called to the butler.

"Sir?"

"Can we speak in my office? Privately?" Andrew asked.

Spencer looked around at the team, nodded and promptly left the base.

Aliyah and Mack exchanged suspicious glances, but neither moved to follow the two men. They had a ranger, and a cousin to locate and save, by any means necessary.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"This is the only thing I brought with me from my home planet." Tyzonn explained, holding up a clawed hand to reveal a broken crystal.

"So, if you're not here for the jewels of the corona," said Tyler, giving Tyzonn back the crystal piece he had picked up. "Why are you here?"

"I came here in search of something more important to me than any jewel." Tyzonn explained. "But my search was cut short. Moltor wanted me in his army, when I refused he turned me into what you see before you. He promised to change me back if I did what he asked. I had no choice. I knew the beast I had become would be shunned on your planet, and now that I've betrayed Moltor, I'm doomed to live in this body forever."

"Hey, we got a state-of-the-art technology centre." Tyler said. "Maybe there's something my uncle and the other Rangers can do to help."

"Your friends don't trust me, why should they?"

"Because I do." Tyler smiled.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Will sighed as his computer search came back empty.

"Sorry, Ronny," he apologized to the yellow Ranger, who was standing at his shoulder waiting for news. "But there's still no sign of Tyler."

"Hey, if Tyler doesn't come back can I have the sonic Streaker?" Dax asked.

"Hey, no way," said Mack. "I'm his cousin. If he doesn't come back, I should be the one to get it."

Aliyah rolled her eyes. "Neither of you get the sonic Streaker," she said. "Because Tyler's gonna walk through those doors sooner or later."

"Maybe a little sooner than later," said Tyler as he hurried down the steps into the lab. He smiled at the team, and hugged Ronny as she rushed forward and hugged him.

"I knew he'd be back." Dax said. "Never doubted him for a second."

"Yeah, right." Aliyah muttered. She looked up at Tyler and reached instinctively for her Tracker as the monster from before appeared behind the green Ranger. "How the hell did he get in here?" she asked, as the others reacted just as defensively.

"I let him in." Tyler admitted. "His name is Tyzonn. He's a friend."

Tyzonn bowed his head at the other Rangers. "I'm sorry about what happened before," he apologized. "Please, forgive me. I never meant to hurt anyone."

"That's what they all say." Aliyah said. "You remember Trent?" she added, shooting Tyler a look. "He said that he was sorry and never meant to hurt anyone, and it turned out to be a trick."

"He's gonna help us find the diamond," said Tyler holding up the full parchment.

Spencer walked in and cleared his throat. "Sir, your translator has arrived," he said. "Shall I send him down?"

"Yes, Spencer." Andrew nodded.

"Translator? I thought Professor Ryan already translated just enough of the map for us to find where the diamond is?" Aliyah asked, as Spencer returned for a second time, the translator in tow.

Tyler, who had looked around at Tyzonn to make sure he was OK, stopped and smirked. "Oh, something tells me you'll be singing a different tune when you see just exactly who the translator is, Ali," he said.

"What are you talk -?" Aliyah cut off as she looked around. Her eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat, and a huge smile spread across her face as she run into the translators arms.

Cam chuckled and hugged his girlfriend tightly. It had been nearly seven months since he had last seen her, and while they had Skyped and called each other constantly, it was an absolute pleasure to finally hold her physically again.

"See, I told you." Tyler said with a small nod.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

After a few hours - due to multiple interruptions from Aliyah - of translating Cam and Rose were ready to present the parchment, and their findings to the rest of the team.

"OK, we think we translated a couple of these symbols," said the pink Ranger. She pointed at the ones her Professor had already translated. "Mountain and Diamond."

"We already knew that we were looking for the Touru Diamond." Mack said.

"Yeah, but we don't know what mountain," said Will. "It could be anywhere on Earth."

"Would you care for some lemonade, sir?" Spencer asked, presenting the team, and the two guests with refreshments.

"Lemonade?" Tyzonn frowned, while the others took their glasses.

"It's made from lemons," said Rose. "A citrus fruit we grow here on Earth."

"Citrus - I know of his organic acid." Tyzonn nodded. He grabbed a glass and quickly turned it upside down, dumping the contents onto the map.

"Wait - what are you doing?" Rose exclaimed.

Aliyah rounded on Tyzonn. "Are you crazy?" she yelled. "You just ruined our only chance of -"

"Wait, you guys, look," said Tyler, pointing at the map.

Having brushed the ruined ink off of the parchment, Rose had uncovered numbers underneath.

"Numbers?" the pink Ranger frowned.

"Of course!" Cam grinned. "The citric acid in the lemonade revealed the hidden information. Nice." He nodded at Tyzonn.

"69.3S - 175.6E?" Aliyah frowned, looking confused.

"It's longitude and latitude." Rose answered. "Maybe it's the location of the mountain we need to go to."

"It's got to be it!" Dax said.

"Way to go, Ty." Ronny grinned at Tyzonn.

Aliyah blinked and shook her head. "Oh no," she muttered. "I just realized something. You share the same nickname as Tyler," she said to the lizard. "One of you needs a new pet name, and since I've called Tyler 'Ty' since we were kids, I'll call Tyzonn 'T', just to avoid confusion."

"Seems fair." Tyler shrugged, whilst nodding.

"OK, Rangers, the SHARC is fueled up and ready to go." Andrew said. The Rangers nodded and headed for the exit.

Tyzonn watched them leave, before reaching out to stop Tyler. "Wait," he said. "Take me with you. Maybe I can be of some use."

"Sure." Tyler nodded. "I think there's room for one more. Come on."

"Great." Tyzonn said, following the green Ranger from the room.

Thus leaving, Andrew, Cam and Spencer in the behind.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Ronny asked, looking around the dead valley.

"This is where the coordinates lead." Rose confirmed.

"Great." Aliyah groaned. "More lava."

"Hey, come on, think positive." Mack said, nudging her. "We'll figure out a way to retrieve the diamond."

Tyler nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Let's go!" He jumped down the small incline, and slipped to a halt as the dragon from the mainland's - Bullox - appeared in his path.

"We meet again, Tyzonn!" Bullox growled.

"Looks like the diamond's gonna have to wait." Will said.

"Ready!"

"Ready!"

"Overdrive Accelerate!"

Bullox growled at the colorful nuisances that had thwart so many of his master's plans.

"Kick into Overdrive! Red Ranger!"

"Kick into Overdrive! Black Ranger!"

"Kick into Overdrive! Blue Ranger!"

"Kick into Overdrive! Green Ranger!"

"Kick into Overdrive! Yellow Ranger!"

"Kick into Overdrive! Pink Ranger!"

"Kick into Overdrive! White Ranger!"

"Call to adventure! Power Rangers Operation Overdrive!"

As the others summoned their Drive Defenders and jumped at the Lava Lizards that were racing towards them, while Mack went after Bullox, Aliyah turned to Tyler and Tyzonn.

"We'll deal with this lot," she said. "You guys go after the diamond."

"Right!" Tyler nodded. "Come on, T," he added to the lizard behind him, and leading him away from the battlefield.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

"_Tyler, heads up, you got big trouble heading your way!_"

Tyler stopped and reached for his tracker. "Define 'big trouble,'" he said, wheeling around to look at Tyzonn.

"_They kinda looked like Pterodactyls._" Aliyah answered. "_You know, like Kira had when I was a Dino Ranger. But they're red, not yellow. They're heading for the crater. So if you're not there, you better move it._"

"Got it. Uncle Andrew, tell me it's ready." Tyler said, after disconnecting with Aliyah and reconnecting with the Ranger base.

"_This is no video game, kid,_" said Andrew. "_Get ready for the real thing._"

"Alright." Tyler grinned. Within a matter of seconds the Sonic Streaker arrived, hovering over the ground where the green Ranger and Tyzonn were standing. "Come on, T," said Tyler, jumping into his new zord with Tyzonn following.

The slot beside the console opened and Tyler inserted his tracker. "We're in," he established, activating the Streaker. He shoved the controls into gear and took to the skies, quickly scanning the immediate area for anything out of the ordinary. "Yeah! Got them in my sights!" he said, locking onto the signals originating from the pterodactyls. "Hold on!" he instructed, spinning the wheel and loop-de-looping through the air to avoid any attacks from the outside. He pulled up into the blaze of the sun, and blinded the birds, before destroying them with one blast.

"Nice one." Tyzonn complimented.

"Whoo-hoo!" Tyler said, looping over again, and then heading towards the crater of the volcano.

"Straight ahead!" Tyzonn said, as he and Tyler descended into the crater and hovered over the bubbling pool of lava. "Look. There is it," he added, spotting something glinting in the molten liquid beneath them.

Tyler looked up at his lizard-friend. There was no way that he would be able to go out into the crater to get the crystal, the heat would be too intense for him to sustain it, and he wasn't completely sure if his suit would protect him from the lava; from what he knew of the substance, it could melt just about anything it touched.

"Think those scales of yours can take the heat?" the green Ranger asked.

"I'll try." Tyzonn nodded, walking to the exit.

"Be careful, Tyzonn." Tyler warned as Tyzonn hooked himself up to a harness, and then lowered himself down out of the jet. He held firmly onto the rope as it grew closer and closer to the thick bubbling liquid.

Making it down to the point where he could touch just about touch the surface, Tyzonn reached for the crystal. If it hadn't been for his thick scales, he was sure he would've felt like he was melting, since Mercury usually turned to its liquid form in intense heated situations.

"Almost got it!" Tyzonn sad, struggling to grip the diamond. "Come on - Ah-ha! I got it!" he suddenly declared, pulling the brightly glowing rock from the lava.

"Yeah! Great job!" Tyler said, reeling Tyzonn back in.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

With Bullox finally down for the count, the Rangers returned to base.

"That Ultrazord is off the chain!" Tyler grinned, wrapping an arm around Ronny. "Not to mention I _finally_ got a Zord."

"Maybe now you can stop moping around." Aliyah said. "It gets tiresome."

"Yeah, but now you've also not got a reason to join us in the Zord battles, Ali," said Rose. "Your excuse has got a Zord of his own now."

Aliyah shrugged. "It'll be nice to use Saba more often," she said. "Just don't get jealous when I start running rings around your Ultrazord, kay?"

"Dream on." The younger rangers defended, causing Aliyah to laugh.

"Alright, alright," said Andrew interrupting the fun and games. "Tell us you got what you were sent to retrieve?"

"You mean this?" Tyler asked, looking to Tyzonn. He was holding to the Touru Diamond in his hands. It was massive, compared to every other jewel they had found so far. Yet when Andrew touched it the jewel shrunk down to a miniature version, and sat perfectly in the palm of his hand.

"Thank you, Tyzonn." Andrew said.

"I was happy to help." Tyzonn nodded.

Andrew turned away from the Rangers and walked to the wall beside the Overdrive consoles, a small hidden cupboard opened up to reveal the first jewel the team had already found.

"Now there are two jewels that won't fall into the wrong hands," said Andrew, setting the diamond down inside. "I'm proud of you Rangers."

"And I know that together, you can find the others." Tyzonn added.

The team smiled at his encouragement.

A bright light suddenly filled the base and the Sentinel Knight appeared before the team.

"Power Rangers," the knight said. "You're proving to be a formidable team. I wish to thank you for your courage and commend you for finding two of the jewels."

"Hey, we wouldn't have found the second jewel if it wasn't for our friend Tyzonn." Tyler said.

Tyzonn smiled at the word 'friend.'

"Ah, the young Mercurian," the Sentinel Knight nodded. "I know of your most unfortunate story."

"With all due respect, Mr... Knight," said Dax, unsure of how to address the Sentinel. "You're all magical and mystical. Isn't there something you can do to help him?"

"Yeah," the others murmured. They hadn't thought of asking the Sentinel Knight for help.

"I... do not possess that kind of power." Sentinel said, disappointingly.

"Then what the hell good are you?" Aliyah scoffed.

"Aliyah!" Andrew scolded, all the while glaring at his niece.

"What?" Aliyah asked, unfazed by his looks.

"I may not possess the power to help him," continued the Sentinel Knight. "But you possess something that does."

The team frowned.

Cam, however, looked past the Rangers at the case containing the jewels. "I think he means them," said the former Samurai. "The Jewels should have enough energy and power to reverse Tyzonn's transmutation."

"Yes," the Sentinel Knight confirmed. "The combined power of two jewels of the corona can cause a catastrophe or... a miracle."

"Oh boy." Aliyah muttered.

The Sentinel Knight shimmered, as did the two jewels, before a pulsate of energy shot out and hit Tyzonn. Aliyah had to put her hand on Tyler's shoulder to stop him from getting too close, past experiences with things like this meant that she had a pretty good idea when Rangers messed with things that they didn't understand.

As Tyzonn's scales became Mercury, the scales disappeared, and when he reformed he looked like a regular human again.

**~*Secrets and Lies*~**

Sometime later that afternoon, Tyzonn stood outside Hartford manor with Tyler. They were talking about everything that had happened since Tyzonn had come to Earth, and how it had effected the young Mercurian and his views on the human world.

"This has been an incredible experience," said Tyzonn. "And I thank you all for your help, but now I must go."

"Do you really?" Tyler asked. "I mean, you heard the Sentinel Knight. We've got a long way to go. Why don't you stick around and work with us?"

"I can't." Tyzonn sighed. "Just as you have your mission, I have my own."

"But who is to say that our missions' won't cross at some point?" Tyler asked.

"Then we'll meet again if and when the time comes." Tyzonn smiled, clapping his hand onto Tyler's shoulder.

The front door opened behind the two, and Aliyah stepped out. "Heard you were leaving," she said to Tyzonn. "Figured you could use something to lift your spirits, so I had Cam do some reconstruction and we managed to salvage this," she held up the crystal that Moltor had crushed.

"My crystal!" Tyzonn said, his face lighting up.

"Yeah." Aliyah smiled. "Tyler did tell you that we were high-tech."

Tyzonn smiled and nodded as he fitted the crystal back into the band on his wrist. "Thank you for help, Aliyah," he said.

"No problem." Aliyah smiled. "Goodbye, Tyzonn, I hope we meet again."

She turned and patted Tyler on the shoulder, before disappearing back into the manor.

"Thank you, Tyler," said Tyzonn. "For everything you have done for me; from saving my life, to giving me a friend, I will not forget it."

"Thank you for helping us find the jewel," said Tyler, holding his hand out to Tyzonn. The Mercurian took it and shook.

"Good luck on your mission." Tyzonn said.

"Yeah, good luck on yours too, buddy."

* * *

**Copyrighted ©**

**Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx**

**Chapter updated Sunday 27th October, 2013 at 01:37am**


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